Taipei  - Taiwan said Sunday that its diplomatic ties with Paraguay and the Dominican Republic are firm, despite calls for the governments of the two countries to recognize China.

Foreign Minister Francisco made the remark to the Central News Agency (CNA), after visiting Paraguay and the Dominican Republic to consolidate ties. The two nations are among the 23 mostly small countries that recognize Taiwan.

Ou said that he visited the two countries because after President Ma Ying-jeou had visited in August 2008, "some people in these countries continued to urge their governments to recognize China," according to the news agency.

During his visit, Taiwan agreed to a request from Paraguay to extend by six months the starting date for the payment of interest for a 400-million-US-dollar loan from Taiwan. Ou also said Paraguayan President Fernando Armindo Lugo had accepted an invitation to visit in the latter half of 2009, according to the report.

Taiwan lost most of its diplomatic allies after it was expelled from the United Nations in 1971, as many countries dropped Taiwan to recognize China.

Since then, Taipei and Beijing have been fighting a fierce diplomatic battle to win over each other's allies, benefiting some small and poor countries which switched between Taipei and Beijing, d depending on who gave more aid.

But when Ma took office on May 20, 2008, he proposed a diplomatic truce aimed at improving cross-strait ties.

Taiwan and China have since opened sea, air and postal links. dpa