The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is talks with St. Vincent and the
Grenadines on funding a national development bank and several social
empowerment projects in the Caribbean country.

According to ministry spokesman Hsiao Kuangwei, the projects remain under
active discussion and nothing has been finalized, but Taiwan will continue to
work closely with the Caribbean ally to help it implement policy priorities
within Taiwan's capabilities.

The statement follows comments by St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime
Minister Godwin Friday, who last week announced that the Lai administration
had pledged at least 2-million U-S dollars in grant funding to help establish
a national development bank.

That pledge was made during Friday's recent visit to Taiwan earlier this
month.

Friday also said that Lai administration also promised to provide 1-million
U-S dollars annually in grant funding for social and community empowerment
programs.