The Presidential Office yesterday defended the government’s recent donation of a jet to the Panamanian government, saying President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) opposed “checkbook diplomacy” but was not against offering aid to diplomatic allies if the money was used properly.

“Since his presidential campaign, the president has emphasized that he is against ‘checkbook diplomacy’ or ‘dollar diplomacy’ because the source or flow of the money isn’t clear,” Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦) said. “However, he is not against using money in a proper way if there is a clear and specific plan.”