Taiwan needs to be on the alert for China's ongoing efforts to sabotage Taiwan's relations with its allies, Minister of Foreign Affairs Jason Hu (
Hu called a press conference in New York during a scheduled stopover on his way to the Dominican Republic.
At the press conference, Hu called Taiwan's relations with Panama "quite stable," but emphasized that Taiwan must always be on guard against China's attempt to whittle down the island's diplomatic ties.
When asked what level officials will represent Taiwan at the hand-over ceremony of the Panama Canal, Hu said the foreign ministry had not yet decided on the makeup of the delegation since Panama had yet to extend its official invitation.
Hu is scheduled to arrive in Dominica today together with a group of 19 business leaders from Taiwan to explore investment possibilities.
Hu is scheduled to fly to Panama on Oct. 27 via Miami.
In Taipei, foreign ministry spokesman Henry Chen (3粉坌F) said Hu would talk with Panamanian President Mirea Moscoso and his foreign minister, both of whom he had not met since their inauguration on Sept. 1.
There have been reports that Taiwan-Panama ties were hanging in the balance -- although Panama denied earlier this month it was considering establishing diplomatic relations with China.
When asked about possible difficulties Taiwan shipping operations may face after the handover of the Panama Canal, Hu said he hoped operations along the canal would not be affected by politics.
The ports on each end of the canal will be handled by Hutchinson Whampoa, a Hong Kong-based company, headed by Li Ka-shing, a Hong Kong entrepreneur who has close ties among Beijing's leaders.
Former Panamanian president Jorge Enrique Illueca and his party recently held talks with Chinese vice-premier Qian Qichen (錢其琛), the Xinhua news agency reported, and Chinese vice-minister for foreign affairs Yang Jiechi has made a low-profile visit to the country.
Panama is one of Taiwan's 28 diplomatic allies -- mainly in Latin America, the South Pacific and Africa.
Beijing opened a trade representative office in Panama City in 1995, after the initializing of economic relations between the two countries.
The Far Eastern Economic Review reported recently that a diplomatic switch may be imminent, after a Panamanian diplomat recently traveled to the mainland to introduce the new government of President Mireya Moscoso.
The magazine also quoted the country's Hong Kong representative as saying Panama won't "close doors on the possibility" of establishing formal relations with China.
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