- Title: DOMINICAN-TAIWAN/MA YING-JEOU Taiwanese president visits Dominican Republic
- Date: 14th July 2015
- Summary: VARIOUS OF HONOURS AT EXTERIOR OF DOMINICAN SENATE
- Embargoed: 29th July 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Dominican Republic
- Country: Dominican Republic
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA622ZLX0EVL7GHB8OUU4DMF3UP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Taiwanese President Ma Ying-Jeou was received with military honours on Monday (July 14) in the Dominican Republic where he held bilateral meetings with President Danilo Medina.
On the second day of his visit to the Caribbean country, Medina presented Ma with a medal, the Order of Merit Duarte, Sanchez and Mella.
The two countries have friendly relations and, according to Ma, share a bilateral cooperation agenda that includes training for the handicapped and assistance to small and mid-size businesses.
The Dominican president thanked Ma for his country's support of development projects in the Caribbean nation, saying it had collaborated in the areas of education and protection of the environment.
"The Dominican Republic holds in very high esteem its relationship with the Republic of Taiwan and appreciates its generosity and unconditional continued cooperation with our development programs that can only be rewarded with our recognition," said Medina.
Ma said he had a special fondness for the Dominican Republic.
"In February of 1970, the capital city of Santo Domingo was the first Ibero-American city to become a sister city of Taipei. And during my time as the Mayor of Taipei from 1998 to 2006, I recognised this very special relationship and therefore hold much affection for the Dominican Republic," he said.
According to the Taiwanese embassy, Taiwanese capital investment in the Dominican Republic is approximately 100 million USD and generates more than 2,300 jobs.
The Dominican Republic imports car parts, machines, tires, textiles and computer parts from Taiwan, the embassy reports on its web page. Taiwan imports medical equipment, scrap metal, shoes and cigarettes from the Dominican Republic.
Ma said two Taiwanese companies had recently invested in the Dominican Republic.
"Taiwan has 75 companies currently investing in the Dominican Republic, among them are two shoe companies -- Hong Fu International and General Footwear Industrial, which set up shop here just last year -- hoping to create thousands of jobs and assist in the development of Dominican Republic's shoemaking industry."
At a September 2013 meeting in Santo Domingo, Hong Fu president T. Y. Chang said his company was one of the largest shoe companies in the world and had 10 factories worldwide, employing more than 70,000 people.
Earlier in the day, Ma visited a centre for handicapped children.
Ma also visited a children's centre on Sunday where he presented baseball gear to young players in the national league.
The children presented Ma with a banner they had signed along with local officials, offering prayers for the victims of the June 27 water park explosion in Taiwan which killed five people and injured more than 490.
The Dominican Republic is Ma's first stop in an eight-day trip through Central America and the Caribbean which will also take him to Haiti and Nicaragua. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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