Taiwan leads rival China in quake aid to Haiti

Taiwan is leading political rival China in aid to quake-stricken Haiti, sending $5 million to help a diplomatic ally that Beijing may one day hope to woo, officials said on Monday.                                           

The rivals have long-competed for international recognition, and Haiti is one of only 23 mostly small, impoverished nations that still has diplomatic relations with Taiwan.                                           

China is pledging a total 30 million yuan ($4.40 million) in aid and on Saturday sent a plane with $2 million in medical supplies, tents and clothing after Tuesday's earthquake ruined the Caribbean nation's capital Port au Prince.                                           

Taiwan has declined to work jointly with China on relief efforts in Haiti, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported.                                           

"As far as I know, no," Shen Zhiliang, deputy director general of the Latin American and Caribbean department of China's ministry of foreign affairs, said in a response to a question on whether the two were working together.                                           

"But we hope the rescue teams from both sides can strengthen cooperation, to spread the humanitarian spirit together."                                           

Beijing has claimed sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan since 1949, when Communist forces won the Chinese civil war, and has vowed to bring Taiwan under its rule, by force if necessary.                                           

The two have long competed for global recognition, sometimes using "chequebook diplomacy" to woo aid-dependent poorer nations. Beijing still seeks to restrict Taiwan's world space, though tension has eased since China-friendly Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008.                                           

Ma, beset by low opinion poll numbers, may deliver aid personally in a visit later this month to the neighbouring Dominican Republic, a staging ground for rescuers, in a move sure to anger China.                                           

"He's already down in a trough, so anything will pull him up," said Lin Chong-pin, strategic studies professor at Tamkang University in Taipei. "This is not political, it's humanitarian, so the chances for Beijing to block it are small."                                           

Chinese rescuers found the body of the head of United Nations peacekeeping forces in Haiti, where eight Chinese peacekeepers were among those killed when the mission headquarters collapsed.                                           

Taiwan has sent two missions to Haiti, totalling 56 people and two specially trained dogs, its foreign ministry said.                                           

Taiwan's ambassador to Haiti was injured during the quake, and its embassy destroyed.                                           

Central America and the Caribbean are home to many of Taiwan's diplomatic allies, including Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, Belize, St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis.