Taipei  - El Salvador's president-elect Mauricio Funes, who has reportedly considered closer trade ties with China, has assured Taiwan of continued relations, it was reported Saturday.

Funes sent an envoy to Taiwan's embassy Friday to deliver his message of support, the Liberty Times reported.

The envoy told Ambassador Liao Shih-chieh that relations between El Salvador and Taiwan will continue, adding that foreign media had misquoted Funes as saying he will consider establishing diplomatic ties with China when he takes office on June 1, the report said.

The envoy said that as China is a huge market with 1.3 billion people, El Salvador wants to establish closer trade links with China, but Funes did not specify that he will launch diplomatic ties with China.

Taiwan's embassy conveyed Funes' message to Taiwan's foreign ministry, the Times reported.

Taiwan is considering sending President Ma Ying-jeou to attend Funes' inauguration and also to visit Panama, to consolidate ties with both countries. (dpa)