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China slams Huang's trip to St. Lucia

St. Lucia -- one of the world's smaller countries -- irritated China on Friday by welcoming a high-level delegation from rival Taiwan.

St. Lucia's foreign ministry said it began talks with a delegation led by Taiwan's Foreign Minister James Huang (黃志芳) to discuss "cooperation and mutual interests," prompting a formal protest from Chinese Ambassador Gu Huaming (古華明).

"This is totally unacceptable to the Chinese government and people," the ambassador said before the Taiwanese officials arrived on Friday evening. "The Chinese side hereby expresses its concern over this."

discussions

Huang told reporters he intended to discuss relations between Taipei and the island nation with Prime Minister John Compton, describing the 82-year-old as "our dear old friend."

"I'm here to exchange views with the prime minister and his ministers on how we can enhance our bilateral relations and work together for the mutual benefit of our two governments and peoples," Huang said.

Compton, speaking from his official residence where he feted the Taiwanese visitors, also said he wished to discuss areas of "mutual cooperation," but did not disclose further details.

The prime minister, who previously governed St. Lucia for 29 years, leads the United Workers Party, which maintained ties with Taiwan for 13 years until it was defeated by the Labor Party in 1996 elections. The Labor Party established ties with China shortly after it gained power.

China recently pledged more money and technical assistance to St. Lucia, a country of 170,000 people, amid speculation that its rival Taiwan was seeking to re-establish diplomatic ties with the southern Caribbean island.

St. Lucia's External Affairs Minister Rufus Bousquet said Beijing's new aid package was under review by St. Lucia's Cabinet, but he did not disclose any details. Bousquet recently announced that he has accepted an invitation from Beijing to visit China.

maintain ties

Shortly after his December election, Compton said his government would maintain ties with China and Bousquet has since reiterated this intention in a letter to Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing (李肇星).

Meanwhile, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Chien-yeh (王建業) defended his nation's actions.

Making as many friends as possible in the international community has been Taiwan's standing diplomatic principle, Wang said yesterday, in response to a media inquiry.

dollar diplomacy

Asked whether China and Taiwan are attempting to outbid each other for St. Lucia's diplomatic alliance, Wang said that "foreign media outlets" often describe Taiwan's foreign aid as "dollar diplomacy."

"It is unfair to make such an abrupt criticism of Taiwan," he said, pointing out that many Western countries also offer similar kinds of diplomatic aid.

Wang declined to comment on the details concerning planned efforts to reinforce bilateral relations between Taiwan and St. Lucia, saying only that the foreign minister's visit was significant.
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