President William Lai (賴清德) met with Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo at the Presidential Office in Taipei with full military honors.
The two signed agreements, including a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would boost cooperation in the semiconductor field to increase Guatemala’s microchip capabilities and an MOU to establish a framework for political consultations, which would ensure regular, strategic coordination on key issues.
The two countries would continue to build a mutually beneficial partnership in the face of mounting global challenges, Lai said, adding that the agreements would create new opportunities for cooperation.
Photo courtesy of the Presidential Office
Arevalo, accompanied by his wife, and foreign and economic ministers, arrived in Taiwan yesterday, his first visit to the nation since taking office last year.
Last year also marked the 90th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Guatemala, one of Taiwan’s 12 UN-recognized diplomatic allies.
"Our two countries are geographically distant, but the ideals and values of the two peoples are closely intertwined," Lai said, adding that the long-standing partnership reflects their shared commitment to democracy, freedom and human rights.
Ties have grown closer in the past few years, bringing a multitude of successes as cooperation expanded and diversified in the fields of health and sanitation, education and culture, science and technology and economic trade, he said.
Taiwan would continue to work closely with Guatemala to provide youth exchange programs and scholarships to foster exceptional talent in science, technology and communications, he added.
Lai encouraged Taiwanese businesses to invest in Guatemala and utilize its strategic location, natural resources and strong workforce to improve supply chain resilience and promote bilateral relations.
The delegation is to visit Hsinchu Science Park and the headquarters of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co this week.
Guatemala last month sent a mission of 28 engineers to Taiwan for a three-week intensive training program in semiconductors.
This week's visit reaffirms the two nations’ close ties and marks “a new level” in the bilateral relationship focused on expanding economic cooperation, solidifying an economic trade partnership and investing in educational opportunities for the citizens of both countries, Arevalo said.
"On behalf of the people of Guatemala, I extend our hand to the people of Taiwan with the confidence that we will walk together along the path toward shared well-being, which we will make more profound and more comprehensive today," he said.
Additional reporting by Reuters
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
About 4.2 million tourist arrivals were recorded in the first half of this year, a 10 percent increase from the same period last year, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. The growth continues to be consistent, with the fourth quarter of this year expected to be the peak in Taiwan, the agency said, adding that it plans to promote Taiwan overseas via partnerships and major events. From January to June, 9.14 million international departures were recorded from Taiwan, an 11 percent increase from the same period last year, with 3.3 million headed for Japan, 1.52 million for China and 832,962 to South Korea,
REWRITING HISTORY: China has been advocating a ‘correct’ interpretation of the victory over Japan that brings the CCP’s contributions to the forefront, an expert said An elderly Chinese war veteran’s shin still bears the mark of a bullet wound he sustained when fighting the Japanese as a teenager, a year before the end of World War II. Eighty years on, Li Jinshui’s scar remains as testimony to the bravery of Chinese troops in a conflict that killed millions of their people. However, the story behind China’s overthrow of the brutal Japanese occupation is deeply contested. Historians broadly agree that credit for victory lies primarily with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-led Republic of China (ROC) Army. Its leader, Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a
RSS