Taipei - Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian has offered to promote El Salvadoran coffee to Taiwan consumers in a bid to strengthen diplomatic ties, Taiwan press reported on Saturday. Chen was quoted by the Central News Agency (CNA) as having highlighted the potential for the El Salvadoran product in Taiwan during a visit to El Salvador on Friday.
China, he had told journalists, bought its coffee from Costa Rica, which cut ties with Taiwan to recognize China in June.
"Taiwan buys coffee from El Salvador. I believe that El Salvadoran coffee can beat Costa Rican coffee," Chen reportedly added. The Taiwanese leader was speaking at a joint press briefing with El Salvador President Antonio Saca in San Salvador.
Chen also said he was willing to become the spokesman for El Salvadoran coffee and bought 10,000 dollars' worth to take back to Taiwan, CNA said.
Taiwan is one of Asia's fastest-growing coffee importers as more and more Taiwanese shun traditional tea.
In 2006, Taiwan imported 32 million dollars worth of coffee - only around 11 per cent of which came from Central America.
Saca on Friday announced that he had endorsed an El Salvador- Taiwan free trade agreement, which is expected to come into effect on January 1, 2008.
Under the agreement, Taiwan would allow the import of 60,000 tons of tariff-free sugar from El Salvador - 35,000 tons in the first year, 50,000 tons in the second year and 60,000 tons annually as of the third year.
Chen arrived in El Salvador on Friday after attending a summit with leaders of Taiwan's Central American allies in Honduras, where he pledged a 5-million-dollar loan to build a computer centre for local schools and a 300-million-dollar loan for the construction of a hydroelectric power project.
At the Honduras summit on Thursday, he announced a 10-million- dollar, 10-year project to help Taiwan's Central American allies train high-tech personnel.
On Sunday Chen is to lead his nearly 100-strong delegation to Nicaragua before returning home on August 29. His visit was aimed at safeguarding ties with Taiwan's six remaining Central American allies after Costa Rica dropped Taipei to recognize Beijing in June.
His visit to Central America came as China showed its new foothold in Central America on Thursday by opening an embassy in Costa Rica. Two days' trade talks between the two countries saw the conclusion of business deals valued at 140 million dollars.
Taiwan press said Saturday that El Salvador and Nicaragua are expected to demand equal sums from Taiwan since Chen has pledged huge aid to Honduras.
Taiwan is recognized by only 24 countries and half of them are in Latin America and the Caribbean.
China sees Taiwan as its breakaway province and has been wooing Taiwan's allies to switch recognition from Taipei to Beijing.
