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Chen rejects criticism of aid in Pacific

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday rejected accusations that Taipei's financial support for a summit with its Pacific allies amounted to checkbook diplomacy.

Chen said the US$5 million Taiwan-funded international convention center built in the Marshall Islands for the summit -- involving the nation's six Pacific allies -- was part of the annual aid program to the country.

Other spending was "just regular, normal expenses for holding such a summit," Chen said. "There is nothing special about this and we didn't spend any extra money on the summit."

The two-day summit began on Friday and is the second annual meeting with the island nations -- the Marshall Islands, Palau, Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands and Nauru.

Beijing and Taipei have accused each other of "checkbook diplomacy" to shore up support in the long-running battle for international diplomatic recognition.

Officials from the US and Australia have also been critical of the aid program in the Pacific, saying its lack of conditions undermines efforts at improving governance in the region.

But Chen said this was "a severe distortion of our efforts in providing aid and donations to recipient countries."

He said that projects such as the new conference center required strong administration by the government, and that private sector initiatives such as a US$20 million floating dry-dock planned for the Marshall Islands by Ching Fu Shipbuilding had not come to fruition yet because of environmental requirements.

Chen went on to describe the six Pacific allies as the nation's "most stable, steady allies," adding that they shared the same democratic values.

They have given "the staunchest support over Taiwan's endeavor to join international organizations, including the World Health Organization and United Nations," he said.

Chen yesterday also announced that the third Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit would be held in Kaohsiung next year.

Chen said that they had originally planned to hold next year's summit in the Solomon Islands, but that someone proposed it be held in Taiwan instead.

A leader even proposed to hold it at Chen's future apartment in Kaohsiung.

Chen said that the apartment in Kaohsiung would be small, but he would invite them over for a visit during the summit.

Chen said he was still shopping around but "will definitely buy" an apartment.

Asked if he would sell his Taipei apartment, the president said the apartment would be sold if necessary to pay for an apartment in Kaohsiung.

Ahead of last year's Taipei and Kaohsiung mayoral elections, Chen said he was very fond of Kaohsiung City and would like to move there after he concludes his presidency if the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the Kaohsiung election.

DPP candidate Chen Chu (陳菊) was elected by a margin of just 0.14 percent ahead of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) opponent Huang Chun-ying (黃俊英).

During talks with Kiribati Vice President Teima Onorio, Chen, noting that Kiribati is where the first daylight falls each day, said he had decided to use a picture of him watching the sunrise in Kiribati -- taken during his last visit to the Pacific nation in 2005 -- on his New Year greeting cards this year.

Chen said the picture would represent his hopes for the nation, adding that he hoped using the photo would boost Kiribati's tourism industry.

In addition to Onorio, Chen was also scheduled to hold talks with Nauruan President Ludwig Scotty, Palauan President Tommy Remengesau, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Tuvaluan Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia yesterday.

Chen was scheduled to wrap up his three-day visit to the Marshall Islands and return to Taiwan today.

Additional reporting by Ko Shu-ling
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