Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) yesterday departed for a visit to Palau, one of Taiwan’s three Pacific allies, with the goals of deepening bilateral ties, promoting local tourism and seeing the results of development projects aided by Taiwan.
Speaking at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport before her departure, Hsiao said the first task that President William Lai (賴清德) entrusted her with for the five-day visit was to deepen bilateral ties.
Hsiao said she is scheduled to meet with Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr and other officials.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office via CNA
“President Whipps Jr has underscored the friendship between our two countries through concrete actions with his many visits to Taiwan since taking office,” Hsiao said. “By also visiting [Palau], we hope to deepen our bonds.”
The second task is to promote Palau’s sustainable tourism by visiting well-known tourist destinations, she said.
Hsiao said she hopes to help Taiwanese learn about Palau’s beauty so that they would follow in her footsteps and visit the country.
The third task is to review the results of Taiwan’s Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project in Palau in the fields of healthcare, fisheries, agriculture and public infrastructure, she said.
Hsiao is representing Lai on the trip following an invitation from Whipps.
Lai said in a social media post yesterday that “Taiwan and Palau are both embraced by beautiful oceans and not only share universal values such as democracy, freedom and human rights, but have also collaborated closely for years in public health, agriculture and fisheries technology and climate change response, achieving significant results and establishing a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation.”
Taiwan would continue to engage with the world, deepening cooperation with like-minded countries, jointly addressing global challenges and demonstrating to the world Taiwan’s commitment to being a positive force in the international community, he said.
Hsiao’s delegation was welcomed by Palauan Vice President Raynold Oilouch.
After being informed that Taiwanese baseball players were competing in Palau, Hsiao added a stop to her itinerary to cheer on the team.
She presented commemorative chocolates symbolizing “Taiwan–Palau friendship” to the players, thanking them for their enthusiastic participation and for increasing exchanges with Taiwan’s diplomatic partner.
Baseball is a sport beloved by people in Taiwan and Palau, Hsiao said, adding that diplomacy takes many forms, and through friendly exchange games, we can foster friendship and further strengthen the deep ties between the two countries.
Additional reporting by Su Yung-yao
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