Taiwan stresses Central America ties with navy visit
CORINTO, Nicaragua: A Taiwanese navy flotilla docked in Nicaragua on Monday in a highprofile visit highlighting ties with Central America and the Caribbean that are shrinking as China presses countries in the region to drop diplomatic relations.
The three vessels — described as being on a training mission — powered into Corinto, a port town on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast, in a visit “to strengthen the ties of friendship,” Nicaraguan officials and Taiwanese diplomats said.
Some of the 800 crew members who disembarked put on a Taekwondo martial arts display after an inspection by Nicaraguan military brass.
The warships were Pan Shi, a modern and sleek Fast Combat Support Ship, Pan Chao, an older, US- designed frigate, and Kuen Wing, a more recent, French-made stealth frigate.
They were to stay in port for three days, with the crew of officers, sailors and cadets participating with the Nicaraguan military in joint training activities, the Taiwanese embassy said. It was the sixth time Taiwan has sent a ‘ friendship flotilla’ to Nicaragua.
After Nicaragua, Taiwan’s navy ships were to go on to make stops in the Marshall Islands, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.
Taiwan is gradually running out of ports of call as China — which considers Taiwan a renegade province that will one day be brought back under Beijing’s control -- presses countries to drop relations with Taipei. — AFP