1st LD: Dominican Republic establishes diplomatic ties with China: official

SANTO DOMINGO, April 30 (Xinhua) -- The Dominican Republic's government late Monday announced that it established diplomatic ties with China.

The decision was made with the conviction that the bilateral relationship will be positive for the future of the Caribbean nation, presidential adviser Flavio Dario Espinal told reporters at a press conference.

"With this goal, Foreign Affairs Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado and the administrative minister of the presidency, Jose Ramon Peralta, are in Beijing today to sign a joint communique, establishing diplomatic ties between our countries," said Espinal.

News of the diplomatic development was being simultaneously announced at a public event in Beijing, where it was already early Tuesday.

Dominican political and economic sectors were fully consulted before the government made the decision, which was mainly based on the "needs, potential and future outlook" of the Dominican people, he said. Enditem