Nicaraguan media attack Taiwan's reputation for `dollar diplomacy'

With the arrival of President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) in Nicaragua on Thursday, the country's media is having a field day with Taiwan's reputation as a dealer in "dollar diplomacy."

The largest circulated paper La Prensa splashed "Diplomacia del Dolar" across its front page, with an article criticizing Taiwan's aid as enriching the personal pockets of Nicaraguan officials.

The leftist El Nuevo Diario's front page headline "Taiwan is turning Nicaragua into a satellite state," criticized the alleged labor abuses by Taiwanese companies in Managua.

Taiwan's ambassador in Nicaragua, Antonio Tsai (蔡德三), who frankly suggested that the new government should halt financial assistance to the country, said despite the 20,000 job opportunities provided by Taiwanese businesses there, the companies usually receive negative press coverage.

He cited the strong hold of labor unions and the "unprofessionalism" of the media as the main reasons.

The local media criticized relations between Taiwan and Nicaragua as merely "dollar diplomacy," although some Nicaraguan journalists said recent reports of the country's foreign minister allegedly reminding Chen not to forget the US$100 million in loans promised by the KMT government was "sensationalized by wire services."

Tsai also clarified in a briefing open to the Taiwan press that Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Eduardo Montealegre's comments were not meant as a "threat" to Taiwan.

Citing the US, Canada and Japan's decision to partially withhold aid to Nicaragua due to government corruption, Tsai said Nicaragua's dire financial situation was the reason for the foreign minister's comments.

Montealegre is scheduled to have a breakfast meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Hung-mao (田弘茂) this morning to clarify the apparent diplomatic blunder. In a letter last week, the Nicaraguan foreign minister denied he had made such a comment and told reporters on Thursday that "relations between Nicaragua and Taiwan are much broader than just financial aid," adding that the ties are more like a brotherhood.

In a meeting between the two heads of state on Thursday, Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Aleman repeatedly thanked Taiwan for its financial assistance and pledged to support Taiwan's participation in international organizations.

Aleman also apologized for the negative media reports, to which Chen replied "it's the same in Taiwan."