MANAGUA, Nicaragua, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Taiwan wants Central American states to continue their diplomatic recognition of the country.
Currently only 25 nations recognize Taiwan, and of these 12 are in the Western hemisphere.
EFE news agency reported that on Monday Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian urged Central American countries to continue supporting Taiwan's efforts to win United Nations recognition as a sovereign state. Chen made the request at the start of a summit held in a Managua hotel that was also attended by Salvadoran President Tony Saca, Panamanian President Martin Torrijos, Honduran President Ricardo Maduro and Belizean Prime Minister Said Musa.
Chen told the leaders that in Taiwan "there is a real and transparent democracy, while in China this is not the case," adding that there was an increasing danger that China could attack and invade Taiwan, which China considers a breakaway province. Chen thanked the Central American leaders for their support for Taiwan's efforts at the United Nations and praised Taiwan's strong political, economic and trade relations with its Central American allies.
Costa Rican Foreign Trade Minister Manuel Gonzalez and Guatemalan Foreign Minister Jorge Britz also attended the summit along with the Dominican Republic's deputy foreign minister for economic affairs Juan Guiliani.
