Foreign aid projects not dollar diplomacy: Chen

Director Lee Nan-yang of the Presidential Office’s Department of Public Affairs made the remarks after learning that Taiwan’s media had criticized the loan as “checkbook diplomacy.”

Lee, who is accompanying President Chen Shui-bian on a trip to three of the country’s allies in Central America, said the fund should be regarded as “humanitarian aid aimed at helping other developing countries accelerate national development.”

Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also made similar defensive statements to help diffuse anger from farmers devastated by recent typhoons and floods.

On Tuesday, President Chen Shui-bian signed an 11-point communique with President Manuel Zelaya Rosales of Honduras, pledging a US$300 million loan to help build a hydropower electric project, plus an additional US$5 million loan to build a computer center for primary and middle schools in Honduras.

President Chen said the proposed Patuca-3 Hydroelectric Project is essential if the ever-increasing demand for electricity in Honduras is to be met.

Chen said Taiwan’s state-owned Taiwan Power Co. (Taipower) is committed to offering its help in having the project completed on the Patuca River, Honduras’ longest and most important waterway.

He made the remarks in a speech at the Honduran National Congress. During the visit, the Honduran congressional speaker, Roberto Micheletti Cain, conferred the Medal of Golden Cross on President Chen in recognition of his contributions to cementing bilateral relations between the two countries.

In his speech, Chen said that based on the solid partnership that Taiwan shares with Honduras, Taiwan is obligated to help Honduras reduce poverty and develop infrastructure.

Meanwhile, he called for the Honduran Congress to pass the free trade agreement (FTA) that Honduras has signed with Taiwan to enable the mutually beneficial pact to come into force as soon as possible.

Later in the day, Chen joined Honduran President Jose Manuel Bela Rosales at a middle school where they witnessed the signing of a memorandum under which Taiwan will provide a US$5 million loan in support of a computerization project to be implemented in middle schools and elementary schools across Honduras.

Under the project, 3,000 computer centers will be built in Honduran schools over three years. Over one million students are expected to benefit from the project.

Addressing the memorandum-signing ceremony, Chen said he was told that the computer center, the first of its kind in Honduras, has been named the “Chen Shui-bian Classroom” in his honor.

But he will suggest that the Honduran school name the first computer center the “Taiwan classroom,” since the contribution has been made by all the people of Taiwan.

Director Lee explained that Honduran President Jose Manuel Zela Rosales has vowed to establish a computer center in an effort to raise the Central American country’s education level and that Taiwan wants to provide the loan as humanitarian aid rather than giving the money away.

Citing the results of a survey, Lee said computer usage among the Honduran public is a mere 3.7 percent, adding that only 19 percent of the faculty and staff at primary and junior high schools in Honduras have access to computers, and only 34 percent of the students have used the Internet.

Lee said Taiwan hopes to use its advanced technology to help other countries bridge the digital divide.

He pointed out that this project is on the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum meeting agenda this year.

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