Ma embarks on Central American diplomatic tour

The journey will take Ma to Panama and Nicaragua with a transit stop in San Francisco en route to Panama City and another stopover in Hawaii on his way home on July 6.

This is President Ma's second diplomatic tour to the region, one of Taiwan's diplomatic strongholds, so far this year.

As in his previous overseas trip, the president is accompanied by first lady Chow Mei-ching and senior officials.

Ma is traveling at the head of a 129-member delegation of government officials, legislators, industry executives, academics, university presidents, local government chiefs, charity group executives, and performing artists.

Prior to his departure, Ma said the visit is part of his "modus vivendi" diplomatic strategy, which calls for a pragmatic and flexible approach to simultaneously maintain solid diplomatic ties with allied countries while forging substantive partnerships with non-allied nations.

Stressing that the strategy has paved the way for a diplomatic truce with China, Ma said his administration can now more efficiently use national resources to consolidate relations with the country's 23 diplomatic allies in addition to cultivating substantive partnerships with countries that do not maintain formal relations with Taiwan.

The main purpose of President Ma's upcoming Central America tour is to attend the inauguration of Panama's President-elect Ricardo Martinelli in Panama City July 1.

During his stay in Panama, Ma will hold talks with senior officials of the new Panamanian government, visit the Panama Canal, give interviews to the international news media and meet with Taiwanese community leaders.

First lady Chow Mei-ching will visit a charity organization that is headed by the new Panamanian first lady.

Following his trip to Panama, Ma will travel to Nicaragua where Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega will drive him to the hub of a bilateral technological cooperation project, which will allow Ma to interact with Nicaraguan citizens.

Ma will also attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a large trade fair to be held in Nicaragua July 1-5, at which many Taiwanese companies are expected to exhibit their latest products.

During the Nicaragua visit, first lady Chow will visit the local branch of World Vision -- a Christian charity dedicated to helping disadvantaged people around the world -- and a development center for physically challenged children.

The president's itinerary originally included a two-day visit to Honduras, but he decided to change his travel plans there after Honduran President Manuel Zeyala was arrested and forced into exile by military leaders Sunday ahead of a controversial constitutional referendum.

Presidential Office spokesman Wang Yu-chi said that Ma will return to Taiwan July 6, two days earlier than scheduled.

Wang said the decision to exclude Honduras from Ma's itinerary was based on safety and security considerations and because the unstable situation in Honduras precludes the purpose of Ma's visit there.

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