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COMMUNITY COMPASS: Well-wishers raise glasses to toast Sultanate of Oman

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More than 300 well-wishers extended their congratulations to the Sultanate of Oman from Taipei last Tuesday as the Arab country celebrated its 38th year of nationhood.

The special day also marked the birthday of its leader, Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who ascended to power in 1970.

In an elaborate reception complete with music and dance performed by local students and musicians, guests from various embassies, representative offices and other members of the international community raised their glasses to wish the country a happy birthday and a prosperous future.

“Today represents a new beginning in development and a new era for the people Oman,” said Sulaiman bin Sultan al-Mughairy, director of the Commercial Office of the Sultanate of Oman in Taiwan, who made his remarks in Hoklo (also known as Taiwanese).

Taiwan and Oman do not share formal relations, but non-political ties between the two countries are strong, he said, noting that bilateral trade volume between them has averaged US$1 billion in recent years; a drastic improvement compared with the less than US$100 million 17 years ago when the representative office was first set up in Taipei.

The director also touted the frequent exchanges in the areas of education, culture and tourism, encouraging more Taiwanese to explore the beauty of his homeland.

Deputy Foreign Minister Javier Hou (侯清山) greeted the guests in Arabic and said that Oman was a crucial economic partner to Taiwan, adding that the trade volume between the two sides so far this year had already reached US$890 million. Last year bilateral trade stood at US$860 million.

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