Pacheco Advances Free Trade
and Economic Aid With Taiwan

Taipei (EFE) – Costa Rican President Abel Pacheco took a step closer toward forging a free-trade agreement with Taiwan and an agreement to build the planned Taiwenese Friendship Industrial Park during his visit with Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian the two leaders announced yesterday.

Pacheco also scooped up economic aid to offset the costs of reconstructing the wing of the Calderón Guardia Hospital, damaged in a fire last month that claimed 19 lives, to combat the escalating rash of dengue infections and to build a highway from San José to San Carlos, a mountain city north of the capital, among other projects.

In the political component of their announcement, the presidents expressed their “concern about the conflicts taking place in the world, agreeing that they must be resolved peacefully, through dialogue and negotiation,” and condemned “the use of force to resolve differences between nations.”

The last statement was a reference to the political struggle between China and Taiwan.

Pacheco and Chen also expressed their “concern about the notable rise of China 's military arsenal in the last few years that does not contribute to the construction of a climate of peace in the region.”

Pacheco thanked Taiwan for its financial support for projects such as the Taiwanese Friendship Bridge over the river Tempisque in the north Pacific province Guanacaste and a technical education improvement project.

He acknowledged the offer of help to rebuild the Calderón Guardia Hospital and to send medical equipment that would help treat hemorrhagic dengue, a form of the disease that is on the rise with this year's high number of dengue cases.

Chen thanked Costa Rica for the support it offers in the international political scene and said he is determined to help the country push forward the plan to build an industrial park that will draw Taiwanese technological investments.

Costa Rica reiterated its interest in the park for its technological and scientific aspects, and not in letting it become a park of maquiladoras.

Taiwan hopes to strengthen economic ties with its allies in Central America by signing free trade agreements.

Costa Rica is one of the 26 countries in the world that maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, 12 of which are in Central America and the Caribbean.

Pacheco arrived in Taiwan Friday and will leave Wednesday for Japan, where he will meet Emperor Akihitoy, speak with representatives of the Japanese Chamber of Legislators and Business Owners and participate in a Central American-Japanese summit.