Chen

CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):

President Chen Shui-bian of Taiwan is due to visit St. Lucia later this month as part of a two-week visit to the Caribbean and Latin America.

According to a statement from the Taiwanese Embassy here, Chen plans to attend the inauguration of Guatemala's President-elect Alvaro Colom on January 14, but will also visit the three Caribbean states-St. Vin-cent and the Grenadines, St/ Lucia and St. Kitts-Nevis - with which his country shares diplomatic relations.

Taipei also has diplomatic relations with Haiti.

The statement notes that Colom, leader of the centre-left National Union of Hope, will seek to further cement the country's few diplomatic ties in the region.

Colom won the presidency in the run-off election on November 5, during which he pledged to preserve diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

"We are preparing to send a delegation to Colom's inauguration," says Taiwan's Ambassador to St. Lucia Ton Chou.

China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and is urging Caribbean states to adopt the "One China" policy that does not include recognition of Taiwan.