By Bernadette H. Carreon
Horizon news staff

Taiwan’s cooperation with the Pacific Island nations is motivated by "our concern for human rights and human dignity," and not a "dollar diplomacy" assistance, President Chen Shui-bian said in his speech before the leaders of the Pacific nations.
In his speech provided by the Taiwan embassy here, he said it is actually China who is guilty of buying off Taiwan’s diplomatic allies.
"China relentlessly squeezes Taiwan’s maneuvering room in the international community using a three-pronged strategy to bring us to our knees. It wants to snatch away all our diplomatic allies, block all of our avenues for political survival in the world and take away all our chips for negotiation on an equal footing," Chen said.
He added that China "since it became an economic powerhouse. China has succeeded in buying off some of our diplomatic allies with fat checks."
President Chen is in Majuro to meet with leaders of Nauru, Kiribati, Marshall islands, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands and Palau for the second Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit.
The first summit in Palau last year was attacked due to alleged "dollar diplomacy" by Taiwan to win diplomatic allies.
He said Taiwan has always stressed democracy in its Pacific allies.
China on the other hand is trying to undermine democracy and an example of these are the rioting which erupted in Tonga when people demanding greater democracy attacked the royal family-owned Shoreline Power Electrical Plant.
Chen said in 2004, Shoreline Power received $US20 million worth of technical assistance from China.
Chen also said that in Dec. 2006, a coup d’ etat was staged in Fiji by military commander and that all demanded the restoration of democracy and placed sanctions on the military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama led government.
China meanwhile regarded the coup as an internal matter and that they are still welcome to seek financial assistance from China.
Chen said Taiwan would continue to assist the Pacific in the areas of health and environment.
He said Taiwan is not buying off its friends.
"Taiwan has no intention of playing that sort of game. After all, buying off nations’ laders cannot win the hearts and minds of their people. Taiwan will steadfastly uphold democracy and rule of law and strive to succeed in role of responsible stakeholder in the West Pacific determined to strengthen democracy," Chen said.