Since last summer, two Chinese companies, Southwest Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute of China, are in discussion with Youri Chevry, the Mayor of Port-au-Prince, about a very important preliminary project presented to Mayor Chevry who accepted the principle on August 25, 2017 in a correspondence addressed to the two Chinese companies https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21936-haiti-reconstruction-chinese-interested-in-the-renovation-of-port-au-prince.html

This preliminary project currently estimated at $ 4.7 billion aims to rebuild Port-au-Prince and make it a modern city, according Chevry and representatives of the Haitian firm involved in the discussions https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21936-haiti-reconstruction-chinese-interested-in-the-renovation-of-port-au-prince.html . It includes among others: a major 600 megawatt power station (more than all the current production capacity of Haiti), a water distribution network of nearly 900 km, a sewerage network with wastewater treatment plants , reconstructed roads, a remote monitoring network and a reconstructed city center with a new town hall, parks and markets.

"If this project comes true, it will be a real start for Haiti, not only for Port-au-Prince" says Mayor Chevry, who initially wanted to rebuild only the City Hall and the Croix-des-Bossale market before that the Chinese offer a lot more "China offers me something that I like and I want to go! "

But there is a major problem for the realization of this project, which is called Taiwan, in a context where China intensifies its campaign of official recognition of its "One China" policy by attracting countries, far from Taiwan with economic incentives...

While the Dominican Republic has broken 69 years of diplomatic relations with Taiwan at the end of last April https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24261-haiti-energy-taiwan-grants-a-loan-of-about-$150m-dollars-to-haiti.html to establish official relations with China, whose estimates of the first economic benefits could exceed $ 10 billion by including investments in the railway and Chinese tourists among others; for its part, Haiti confirmed that despite the offers of Beijing, it would remain loyal to Taiwan [which has just granted Haiti, a loan of 150 million dollars https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24261-haiti-energy-taiwan-grants-a-loan-of-about-$150m-dollars-to-haiti.html

Recall that Beijing considers Taiwan a separatist province and does not intend to maintain concrete diplomatic relations with the countries that recognize Taiwan.

Note that following the visit of Chancellor Antonio Rodrigue to Taiwan from April 29 to May 2 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24261-haiti-energy-taiwan-grants-a-loan-of-about-$150m-dollars-to-haiti.html President Jovenel Moise will pay a state visit to Taiwan at the end of the month.

"Taiwan has had two diplomatic allies, Panama and the Dominican Republic, which have shifted their diplomatic recognition to China, but ties with Haiti remain stable and cooperation between the two countries continues as usual," says Andrew Lee. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson (MOFA) adding "Taiwan will continue to help Haiti promote projects that will help improve the well-being of the Haitian people," said Lee, while Haiti supports Taiwan's participation in including inclusion in the World Health Organization (WHO)."

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24245-haiti-diplomacy-chancellor-antonio-rodrigue-in-taiwan.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24261-haiti-energy-taiwan-grants-a-loan-of-about-$150m-dollars-to-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21936-haiti-reconstruction-chinese-interested-in-the-renovation-of-port-au-prince.html

SL/ HaitiLibre