Taiwan President Ma to visit Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras

Jun 12, 2009, 12:53 GMT

Taipei - Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou will make his second visit in two months to Latin America to cement ties with Taipei's diplomatic allies, an official said Friday.

Ma will depart on June 29 for a tour of Panama, Nicaragua and Honduras, Foreign Minister Fransisco Ou told reporters.

The main purpose of Ma's visit to to attend the inauguration of Panama''s president-elect Ricardo Martinelli, but Ma will also boost trade ties with these three allies, he said. The delegation will return to Taipei on July 7.

It would be Ma's second trip to Latin America recently afdter his May 26-June 4 tour of Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador, to attend the inauguration of El Salvador's president-elect Mauricio Funes and to boost ties with these three allies.

Taiwan is recognized by only 23 mostly-small countries, while more than 170 countries recognize China and regard Taiwan as China's breakaway province.

In the past, some small and poor countries switched back and forth between Taipei and Beijing several times, depending on who gave more cash and aid.

After Ma took office on May 20, 2008, he put a stop to the Taipei- Beijing diplomatic war by proposing a diplomatic truce with China, so that the two sides would stop trying to woo each other's allies promote economic cooperation instead.