By Giff Johnson
For Variety

MAJURO — Taiwan Ambassador Bruce J.D. Linghu handed a $1 million check to Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Gerald Zackios on Monday as part of a groundbreaking ceremony that launched the Taiwan-funded $5 million construction project for the second Taiwan Pacific Allies Summit in late 2007.
President Kessai Note joined Linghu and other national leaders in donning hardhats and picking up shovels for the groundbreaking of the two-story convention center that is being rushed so the Marshall Islands can host the summit in October.
Calling the convention center a “milestone” construction project for this central Pacific nation of 60,000 people, Zackios said that once built, the facility will allow the Marshall Islands to host regional and international conferences that it does not now have the ability to sponsor.
“Taiwan is very excited to fund the project,” Lingu said. “This is a token of the close and cordial relationship between Taiwan and the Marshall Islands.”
The two nations have had diplomatic ties since late 1998.
The Taiwan Pacific Allies Summit will bring together the heads of state from the six countries that diplomatically recognize Taiwan — Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Palau and Nauru — with Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian.
This year’s summit follows a similar high-profile meeting held for the first time last September in Palau. Last year, Chen flew Taiwan’s “Air Force One” to Palau and brought more than 20 television, radio and print journalists with him.
The Palau summit followed a one-day summit in Fiji last April of the heads of state of China-aligned Pacific countries and Premier Wen Jiabao. But Chen denied that the Taiwan-sponsored summit was a response to China, and promised the gathering of heads of state would continue to be an annual affair for the six countries that recognize Taipei.
The summit in the Marshall Islands was delayed from August to late October to allow additional time to get the facilities built that are needed to host the event.
The convention center will be able to hold 1,000 people, Zackios said.
Both Zackios and Linghu said the project will bring multiple benefits to the country. “You will have the capability of hosting bigger events in Majuro,” the ambassador said. The largest meeting facility currently in Majuro can hold only about 250 people.