Beijing targets Haiti as bid to isolate Taiwan from its diplomatic allies heads to the Caribbean - article courtesy of Joshua Schneider
Just substitute Japan for China and here we go again!
Beijing targets Haiti as bid to isolate Taiwan from its diplomatic allies heads to the Caribbean
If Port-au-Prince ‘can uphold the one-China principle, the Chinese
government is willing to establish country-to-country ties’, commerce
official Wang Xiaoyang says in newspaper interview
government is willing to establish country-to-country ties’, commerce
official Wang Xiaoyang says in newspaper interview
China can provide ‘interest-free loans and concessional loans’ and will ‘respect the recipient country’, he says The Caribbean nation of Haiti has become the latest target for Beijing as it seeks to isolate
Taiwan from its dwindling diplomatic allies around the world.
Taiwan from its dwindling diplomatic allies around the world.
Haiti is one of just 17 countries that maintain diplomatic relations with the
self-ruled island following a three-year campaign by Beijing to lure
away its partners – launched after
self-ruled island following a three-year campaign by Beijing to lure
away its partners – launched after
Tsai Ing-wen, from the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party was elected
president in 2016 – that saw five nations switch allegiance.
president in 2016 – that saw five nations switch allegiance.
In an interview with local newspaper Le Nouvelliste last week, Wang Xiangyang, the head of the office of commercial development of China in Haiti, delivered Beijing’s opening bid.
“If the Haitian government can uphold the one-China principle, the Chinese
government is willing to establish normal country-to-country ties with
Haiti and enhance cooperation in politics, the economy and trade, public
hygiene and education,” he said.
government is willing to establish normal country-to-country ties with
Haiti and enhance cooperation in politics, the economy and trade, public
hygiene and education,” he said.
“China is now the world’s second-biggest economy. As a permanent member of the
United Nations, China is playing an increasingly important role in
international affairs … In addition to free assistance, [China can also
provide] interest-free loans and concessional loans,” he said.
United Nations, China is playing an increasingly important role in
international affairs … In addition to free assistance, [China can also
provide] interest-free loans and concessional loans,” he said.
“China will fully respect the recipient country and direct investment
according to the country’s needs to areas like infrastructure that has
huge funding gaps.”
according to the country’s needs to areas like infrastructure that has
huge funding gaps.”
As well as giving the newspaper interview, Wang has held several meetings
with Haitian officials, including Tourism Minister Marie Gréta Roy
Clément and former prime minister Evans Paul. He also hosted the
Panamanian ambassador to Haiti.
with Haitian officials, including Tourism Minister Marie Gréta Roy
Clément and former prime minister Evans Paul. He also hosted the
Panamanian ambassador to Haiti.
Panama switched allegiance to Beijing from Taipei in 2017 and subsequently
received more than US$3 billion in loans and financial aid from its new
diplomatic partner.
received more than US$3 billion in loans and financial aid from its new
diplomatic partner.
Beijing’s campaign to win over Taiwan’s diplomatic allies has also seen it targeting the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific.
The Solomons government
has been debating the issue but said last week that it had yet to reach
a decision on the switch. Officials from the United States meanwhile
have warned the tiny Pacific nation to be wary of funding promises from Beijing and not be pressed into cutting ties with Taiwan.
has been debating the issue but said last week that it had yet to reach
a decision on the switch. Officials from the United States meanwhile
have warned the tiny Pacific nation to be wary of funding promises from Beijing and not be pressed into cutting ties with Taiwan.
Xu Yicong, China’s former envoy to Ecuador, Cuba and Argentina, said the
biggest obstacle to Beijing wooing Taiwan’s diplomatic allies came from
the US.
biggest obstacle to Beijing wooing Taiwan’s diplomatic allies came from
the US.
“For Taiwan’s allies that haven’t had ties with China, the biggest pressure
comes from the US, which has adopted a more anti-China approach under
the Trump administration,” he said.
comes from the US, which has adopted a more anti-China approach under
the Trump administration,” he said.
Last weekend, Stanley Kao, Taipei’s top representative to the US, urged all
Taiwanese diplomats stationed overseas to maintain close and cordial
ties with their host nations.
Taiwanese diplomats stationed overseas to maintain close and cordial
ties with their host nations.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and although it has
some economic ties to Beijing, Fan Hesheng, director of the Institute of
Latin American Studies at Anhui University, said their development
would be limited in the absence of a full diplomatic relationship.
some economic ties to Beijing, Fan Hesheng, director of the Institute of
Latin American Studies at Anhui University, said their development
would be limited in the absence of a full diplomatic relationship.
“Haiti is one of the least developed countries in Latin America and though
there are no formal ties between China and Haiti, economic activities
[between them] have been gradually expanding over the years,” he said.
there are no formal ties between China and Haiti, economic activities
[between them] have been gradually expanding over the years,” he said.
An academic from the Institute of Taiwan Studies under the Chinese Academy
of Social Sciences, said Haiti may ditch Taiwan in the near future.
of Social Sciences, said Haiti may ditch Taiwan in the near future.
“China’s expanding economic influence like the Belt and Road Initiative
looks very attractive to Haiti, and China has peacekeeping troops
there,” said the person, who asked not to be named because of the
sensitivity of the topic.
looks very attractive to Haiti, and China has peacekeeping troops
there,” said the person, who asked not to be named because of the
sensitivity of the topic.
The foreign affairs ministry in Port-au-Prince did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the issue.
