Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves on Tuesday praised President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration speech as “impressive” and “forward-looking,” and pledged to work with the new government to boost bilateral ties.
In an interview with the Central News Agency, Gonsalves, who attended Lai’s inauguration, said that after reading the English translation of the speech, he had a clear picture of the new president’s vision.
“It is an impressive speech in which he outlined what are the challenges he sees within the domestic political economy of Taiwan and what are his priorities in addressing those challenges,” the Vincentian leader said. “It was a very forward-looking speech in terms of the changes he wants to see here.”
Photo: CNA.
Gonsalves pointed specifically to Lai’s desire to build a green economy, and a Taiwan that is “smart and sustainable.”
He also praised Lai for emphasizing regional alliances as a framework for security and his “clear view” of China, which the prime minister said was “realistic” and “without hostility.”
Lai said in his speech that Taiwan would continue to engage with democratic countries as it works to bolster its defense capabilities under his “four pillar plan” for peace.
He called on China to cease its political and military intimidation of its neighbor and share with Taiwan the global responsibility of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as well as the greater region.
Regarding his interactions with Lai, Gonsalves said the president is “a man with his feet on the ground politically,” even though he has been in politics for a long time.
The prime minister said he spent about an hour and a half with Lai on Tuesday, during which he had “good discussion and rapport.”
Gonsalves called Lai “my friend,” and described him as easy to talk to.
“From the standpoint of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, we will build upon the work with the previous president [Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文)] and with [former minister of foreign affairs] Joseph [Wu (吳釗燮)] ... we will deepen, I’m sure, our existing very strong relations,” Gonsalves said.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Republic of China (ROC) established diplomatic relations on Aug. 15, 1981. Over the past eight years, 10 of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies have switched recognition to Beijing.
Asked why his country has stuck with Taiwan for more than 43 years, Gonsalves said that relations with Taipei are “on the basis of a common set of values, interests.”
Beijing representatives have visited him, but he does not agree with their viewpoint, he said.
“I will say: ‘Look, you can’t tell me that in order to have relations with you, I must cease having relations with another entity. I say you can, if tomorrow you drop your objection, we can have relations,’” he said.
“And then, purely at a personal level, I grew up in a family, I grew up in circumstances where loyalty and friendship count for something. If you’re my friend, if you have a friendship going back a long time, you can come to me with your friendship,” he said.
Gonsalves is the longest continuously serving head of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines since the nation gained independence in 1979. He first became prime minister after his party won a majority in the 2001 general election. He has visited Taiwan 12 times, most recently in 2022.
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