Taiwan mulls reducing Haiti's debt

Joseph Kuo, director-general of the MOFA's Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, said the ministry has begun to formulate measures to lower the debt burden of the Caribbean ally.

However, he added that the government has no plans to cancel the debt completely.

Issuing the directive in a weekly Cabinet meeting in which the MOFA delivered a report on its plan to help with the reconstruction of Haiti, Wu said the Republic of China has maintained a firm friendship with Haiti since the two countries forged diplomatic relations more than 50 years ago.

Immediately after the magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Haiti Jan. 12, the government joined forces with the private sector to provide its ally with humanitarian assistance and raised US$16 million in relief funds, Wu noted.

In addition, President Ma Ying-jeou visited the Dominican Republic, which shares a border with Haiti, to present donations to Haiti and express Taiwan's concern, the premier said.

In the future, Taiwan will continue to participate in the reconstruction of Haiti and will help rebuild its public health system, relocate the quake victims, provide them with vocational training and employment, and arrange for the adoption of children orphaned by the disaster, Wu said.

On the Feb. 27 earthquake in Chile, he said that although Taiwan has no diplomatic ties with the South American nation, the government has decided to donate US$200,000 to the country and will provide it with further assistance.

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