Taiwan Today

ROC President Ma Ying-jeou received a visiting Sao Tome and Principe delegation headed by Evaristo Carvalho, speaker of the National Assembly, at the Presidential Office in Taipei City Sept. 17. During the meeting, Ma noted that since establishing formal diplomatic relations 15 years ago, the two nations have carried out a range of bilateral cooperative projects in agriculture, infrastructure development, medical care and public health. Taiwan has also been actively assisting the West African nation in eradicating malaria, he added. For the last three years Taiwan has sent young representatives to Sao Tome in an international youth ambassador exchange program. In addition, more than 40 students from Sao Tome are pursuing bachelor’s or master’s degrees at Taiwan universities under scholarships provided by the ROC government, Ma noted. The president said he hopes the two countries can continue to promote cooperative projects and further deepen their already strong friendship in the years ahead. He further expressed his appreciation for Sao Tome’s support at the U.N. General Assembly and World Health Assembly for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations and U.N.-sponsored activities. The Sao Tome delegation also includes lawmakers Idalecio Augusto Quaresma, Jose da Graca Viegas Santiago, and Delfim Santiago das Neves. Carvalho served as Sao Tome prime minister from July 1994 to October 1994 and again from September 2001 to March 2002. (SB-THN)