China hosts El Salvador, Dominican leaders after Taiwan switch

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ Chinese President Xi Jinping greeted El Salvador’s President Salvador Sanchez Ceren on Thursday, pledging aid to the Central American country months after it switched allegiance from Taiwan to Beijing. Xi is hosting Sanchez Ceren and the leader of another country that recently ditched Taiwan — Dominican President Danilo Medina — this week.

The Chinese leader welcomed Sanchez Ceren with a ceremony at the gargantuan Great Hall of the People, where a military band serenaded the two presidents with their respective national anthems. The two countries then inked deals pledging to cooperate on development, including on Xi’s pet Belt and Road trade infrastructure project.

Beijing also promised aid for education, health and drought relief. Sanchez told Xi he was “representing the El Salvadoran people to show you how grateful we are and our satisfaction now that we have restored our diplomatic relations”. El Salvador recognised Beijing in August, becoming the third country to abandon Taiwan this year, following the Dominican Republic and Burkina Faso. Medina will be hosted at the Great Hall of the People on Friday.  He will also inaugurate the Dominican Republic’s embassy in Beijing during his visit.