Castries Caught Between China and Taiwan By BBC - Caribbean March 23, 2007 ........................................................................................................................................ The government of Saint Lucia has confirmed its intention to receive the Foreign Minister of Taiwan and a delegation from that country, despite a formal protest from the Chinese Ambassador. Officials in Castries say the Taiwanese Foreign Minister James Huang has during his current trip to the US, requested a meeting with a high-ranking local delegation including Prime Minister John Compton and Foreign Minister Rufus Bousquet. The Foreign Ministry statement says the purpose of the meeting will be to discuss functional co-operation and mutual interest. It says the government of Saint Lucia has acceded to the request from the Taiwanese Foreign Minister and expects to receive him and his delegation as soon as arrangements are finalised. St. Lucia/China relations threatened Saint Lucia currently has diplomatic relations with China, which regards Taiwan as a renegade province. The Chinese Ambassador to Saint Lucia, Gu Huamming has warned that any visit by the Taiwanese Foreign Minister would do irreparable damage to the relations between Castries and Beijing. The new John Compton government which won the St. Lucia elections last December, has given Beijing assurances that relations with Mainland China will continue. But China doesn't want the authorities in St. Lucia talking to Taipei or its officials: "We wish St. Lucia government to not allow the delegation to enter into St. Lucia" Ambassador Huamming warned earlier this week, telling the authorities in Castries that such a visit would be severely detrimental to China/St. Lucia relations. Sir John Compton's ruling United Workers Party has said it subscribes to the One China policy being pushed by Beijing. But St Lucia under a past Compton-led UWP administration had had relations with the Taiwanese. St. Lucia switched over to China under the Labour Party government that lost power last December. latest news Jamaica Police Investigages Scam British Prime Minister Sorry for Slavery CARICOM Issues Explored Angllicans Face Difficult Summit Trinidadian Carnival Exodus New Caribbean Program Premiers on NY TV Exemption for Antigua Nurses More Complaints About CARICOM Grenada Goofs: Anthem Mixup Windies Selectors to Mull Over CWC Squad More Cricket World Cup Semis Tickets on Sale JA Airport Revamp Won't Be Ready for Cup Celebrating Bob Marley with Food & Fashion CARICOM Single Space Travel Begins Caribbean Tops Prisoner's List AIDS Discrimination in the Caribbean Whaling Showdown Likely Record Year for Global Tourism Five Killed by Jamaican Police Four Dead in Haiti UN Operation   | | | | |