The Nicaraguan National Assembly (Parliament) approved on Tuesday the exemption of visas for diplomats from China, a country with which it reestablished relations last December.
With a total of 88 votes in favor of a possible 91, the Nicaraguan legislature endorsed the so-called “Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, on the mutual exemption of visas for holders of diplomatic, official , services and public affairs”.
The agreement between Nicaragua and China was signed last January, a month after the reestablishment of bilateral relations.
The Nicaraguan deputies approved the agreement with the hope that “it will contribute significantly to the strengthening of diplomatic and commercial relations, and especially in the climate of foreign direct investment.”
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China became the 18th country with which Nicaragua has a mutual diplomatic visa waiver agreement.
Nicaragua has similar agreements with Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Norway, South Ossetia, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, and Switzerland, according to information from the Legislative Branch.
The governments of Nicaragua and China agreed to the exemption of visas in a day in which they also signed a framework agreement on mutual support between both nations, a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of the political consultation mechanism and another on cooperation.
Nicaragua reestablished relations with China after breaking them off with Taiwan, which the Asian giant considers a “rebellious province.”
Nicaragua’s relations with China and Taiwan have been intermittent throughout history.
