Ministry seeks to reassure companies in NicaraguaTRANSITION PERIOD: With the Central American nation switching recognition to China, the ministry said it would help firms expand into markets such as ParaguayBy Lu YI-hsuan and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday sought to reassure Taiwanese businesses with operations in Nicaragua that their interests would be protected after the Central American nation last month severed relations with Taipei in favor of Beijing. Isaac Chiu, Deputy Director-General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of International Cooperation and Economic Affairs, speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Nicaragua is one of the largest importers of Taiwanese fishery products, while Taiwan is Nicaragua’s largest market in Asia, Ministry of Economic Affairs data show. The foreign ministry made the remarks in condemnation of Beijing’s “shock” at Slovenia’s plan to open reciprocal representative offices with Taiwan. “The fact that the Republic of China (Taiwan) is a free and democratic nation has already won the respect of the world,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) told a regular news conference in Taipei.

Source: Taipei Times January 20, 2022 22:08 UTC