St Lucia’s Anthony: No Rush into Making Decision on China, Taiwan Relations

By the Caribbean Journal staff

St Lucia will not be “forced” into making a decision on its foreign policy as it concerns relations with China and Taiwan, according to Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony.

St Lucia currently has diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Anthony said his administration is awaiting a report from the Foreign Policy Review Committee which will guide the decision process.

“The government of St Lucia is looking at all its options and we will articulate a clearer position when we receive a report from the committee which the government set up and an appropriate announcement will be made in time,” he said.

Anthony’s St Lucia Labour Party had signaled that it might return the country to diplomatic relations with China, which it severed under the administration former Prime Minister Stephenson King in 2007 in favour of relations with Taiwan.

That came after it had earlier broken ties with Taiwan in 1997.

“As soon as the report is presented and government has studied the report, a decision will be made,” he said. “But the government of St Lucia will not be forced into making any decision and we have always made our position very clear.”

The Foreign Policy Review Committee is headed by former Prime Minister Dr Vaughn Lewis.

St Lucia did send a delegate to Taipei to attend the inauguration ceremony of President Ma Ying-jeou in May.