Taiwan to loan Haiti US$150 million for infrastructure projects amid Beijing onslaught
Funds expected to be used to develop rural power grids in impoverished Caribbean nation, Taipei says
Taiwan plans to lend ally Haiti US$150 million for infrastructure development in a bid to shore up relations amid a renewed diplomatic onslaught by rival mainland China that has stripped it of two foreign allies in the past month.
Foreign ministry spokesman Andrew Lee said on Thursday the aid was aimed at developing rural power grids in the impoverished Caribbean nation that is still recovering from a devastating 2010 earthquake.
“This provides a win-win situation to help a diplomatic ally with a major infrastructure development project and also creates overseas business opportunities for Taiwanese companies,” Lee was quoted as saying by the official Central News Agency.
Haiti is one of just 18 countries that continue to recognise self-ruling democratic Taiwan after the Dominican Republic and Burkina Faso switched ties to Beijing last month.
Beijing claims Taiwan as its own territory and opposes any recognition of the island as an independent state.