High-ranking officials from Russia and Taiwan yesterday vowed to promote bilateral ties in an evening banquet celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the establishment of Taiwan's representative office in Moscow.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新), host of the evening banquet held at Taipei's Yuan Shan Club, said the disparities in size and weather as well as the geographical distance between Russia and Taiwan have not impeded the growth of substantive ties between the two countries.
"Considerable achievements have been attained in improving the Taiwan-Russia relationship over the past decade," Chien said.
For example, the trade volume between the two sides reached US$200 million back in 1991, while the figure has soared in recent years, Chien said.
Last year, the trade volume between the two countries reached US$1.17 million, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Vladislav Verchenko, representative at Moscow-Taipei Economic and Cultural Coordination Commission in Taipei, said that mutual understanding underpins bilateral ties between Taiwan and Russia.
Although it's been only ten years since Taiwan and Russia developed relations, bilateral ties -- as vindicated in the expansion of trade and cooperation in the areas of technology and culture -- have grown by leaps and bounds, Verchenko said.
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