China urges Central America to ditch Taiwan

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Aug 24 (Reuters) China urged Central American countries to follow Costa Rica's lead and break with Taiwan, a long-time donor to the region in search of international recognition as an independent state.

As Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian toured Central America this week to shore up the island's dwindling list of allies in the region, Beijing sent its own mission to Costa Rica, which switched allegiances in June, and promised San Jose a free-trade deal.

''We certainly hope that other Central American countries follow the international consensus and recognize China instead of Taiwan, which is part of China,'' said He Yafei, China's assistant foreign minister yesterday, adding that the Taiwanese president's visit was ''inappropriate.'' Chen attended a regional summit in Honduras yesterday to consider funding an oil refinery in Guatemala and a hydroelectric plant in Honduras and to help solve a power crisis in Nicaragua.

China and Taiwan have faced off since defeated Nationalist forces fled to the island at the end of a civil war in 1949.

Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, rather than a country, and seeks to quash its diplomacy.

Taiwan has 24 diplomatic allies left, compared with China's 170, and has vowed to boost aid to Central America, although it says it is not going to enter into ''dollar diplomacy.'' Taipei accuses Beijing of offering countries cash for diplomatic recognition.

Costa Rican President Oscar Arias this weekend defended his country's decision to ditch Taiwan. ''Not to recognize a country with a fifth of the world's population is ridiculous,'' he said on Wednesday.

Arias will travel to China in October to follow up on Beijing's trade deal pledge. Costa Rican officials are also in talks with their Chinese counterparts to persuade China to buy part of Costa Rica's 3.6 billion dollars debt.

REUTERS AK BST0634