10 Apr 2006

President of Mashall Islands starts five-day visit to Taiwan

7:10 am on 10 April 2006

The president of the Marshall Islands starts a five-day state visit to Taiwan today.

It is Kessai Note's second state visit to Taiwan, which has injected more than 10 million US dollars annually to the Marshall Islands since he became president in 2000.

An anti-money laundering cooperation agreement is expected to be signed during the visit.

An agreement is also expected to be sealed paving the way for an 800,000 US dollar Taiwan-funded micro credit program for the Marshall Islands.

Mr Note's trip is a return state visit following Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian¹s visit to Majuro last May as part of a central Pacific Island hop to Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the region.