Who will lose with the switch from Taiwan to China
The Ministry of Industry & Commerce and Small Business (MICM), Police and bamboo-related sectors stand to lose big with the severing of diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Several projects were under way with Taiwan cooperation.
Taiwan was financing a US$4 million program for small business. The agreement had been signed by the Ministry of Industry & Commerce and the Fund for Agricultural Development (Feda) and the Embassy of Taiwan in July 2017. The program was being implemented from 2017-2021. Taiwan was contributing US$3 million and the Dominican government US$1 million.
Taiwan also had underway an important project to foster bamboo plantations and industrialization in the country through the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF). A technical mission from Taiwan had visited the recently completed manufacturing center in San Isidro, Bonao (ProBambu). The center was part of efforts to plant, process, design and market bamboo projects.
The National Police under director general Ney Aldrin Bautista Almonte also had benefited from police cooperation project to fight transnational crime and improve citizen safety.
The 911 Emergency Program also received major financial boost from Taiwan.
News reports estimated that Taiwan assistance had reached US$169 million, as of August 2017, and helped create 3,000 jobs. The Dominican Republic was the country with the most investment in the Caribbean and Central American region.
An editorial in El Dia observes that the ambassador of Taiwan was told about the ending of relations only one hour before the official announcement. And the notification was made in a city restaurant and not formally by the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
Source: DR1, Acento
May 5, 2018
Category: DR News |