Nicaraguan president-elect Daniel Ortega on Tuesday promised to continue diplomatic relations with Taiwan, amid speculation that the Central American ally might switch allegiance to China.
"After the change of government [late yesterday], I hope to continue all kinds of relationships with the people and government of Taiwan," Ortega said.
"I'd like to reiterate my warm welcome to all the officials and businesspeople of the Republic of China, Taiwan, at a time when we have committed ourselves to fighting poverty," he said.
Ortega made the remarks on Tuesday evening while meeting with President Chen Shui-bian (
Chen arrived in the Nicaraguan capital on Tuesday afternoon. He was to attend the inauguration of Ortega late yesterday and was greeted with military honors at the airport.
Ortega had said before the election that if he won, he would switch recognition from Taiwan to China to meet the needs of the Nicaraguan business sector.
Nicaragua recognized Beijing in 1985 after Ortega's first election. However, former president Violeta Chamorro broke with Beijing and re-established ties with Taiwan after defeating Ortega in 1990.
Chen met Ortega and Nicaraguan vice president-elect Jaime Morales Carazo in the evening before having dinner with Taiwanese expatriates, embassy personnel and agricultural mission members.
Ortega yesterday told Chen that his new government would continue diplomatic relations with Taiwan, while developing exchanges with China. While Oretega has invited China to establish trade offices in his country, Beijing has not yet responded.
When asked by the Taipei Times during Tuesday night's press conference whether Taiwan could accept Nicaragua's recognition of Taiwan and China at the same time, Chen said that his government has never opposed such a situation.
However, such a scenario would not be an issue, Chen said, because what the Nicaraguan government wants is to maintain economic ties with Beijing rather than diplomatic.
"The crux of the problem lies in China's unwillingness, rather than Taiwan's," he said.
Regarding Taiwan-US relations, Chen said that he realized the US government needs China's help in tackling problems in Iran, Iraq and North Korea, but he did not want to see cooperation between Washington and Beijing sacrifice Taiwan's interests.
Chen said that his administration values the hard-earned mutual trust and long-term friendship between the two countries.
The president also thanked the US government for giving him a "comfortable, convenient, safe and dignified" transit stay in San Francisco, emphasizing that such a foundation of mutual trust should not be easily impaired.
Chen said that he would keep the promises he made to the US government and US President George W. Bush.
Meanwhile, Chen said that he was following the recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to personally attend the inauguration with the aim of consolidating ties with Nicaragua.
During his meeting with Morales, Chen said that the vice president told him that they plan to relocate the presidential office and turn the old one into the "Home of Taiwan" dedicated to the care of the underprivileged.
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