President Lai Ching-te said June 3 that Taiwan is committed to deepening its partnership with the Marshall Islands in pursuit of mutually beneficial development and prosperity.
Lai made the remarks while meeting with the Marshall Islands President Hilda C. Heine and her delegation at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. He described the two allies as a family and mentioned the close ties between the countries in the fields of agriculture, climate adaptation, medical care and women’s empowerment, and added that he looks forward to expanding collaboration in aviation, education and sports.
Lai thanked the government of the Marshall Islands for its continued backing of Taiwan, including remarks made by Heine and her ministers at global events, and regular resolutions passed in the Nitijela that support Taiwan’s international participation.
In her remarks, Heine pointed out that this year marks the 27th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Marshall Islands. The long-standing relationship is built on the allies’ shared Austronesian culture, respect for democracy and strong commitment to freedom, justice and the rule of law, she added.
Heine further presented a resolution to Lai, which was proposed by the people and the government of the Marshall Islands expressing appreciation to Taiwan. She concluded by urging the U.N. to take actions to solve the issue that Taiwan’s 23 million people are still improperly excluded from the international body and its specialized agencies.
Following the meeting, the two leaders witnessed the signing by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung and Marshallese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kalani Kaneko of a letter of intent for sports exchanges and a memorandum of understanding for presidential scholarship funds. Lai further launched a loan for the Marshall Islands to purchase new airplanes.
In the luncheon after the inking ceremony, Lai conferred on Heine the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon for her outstanding work to deepen bilateral relations. (YCH-E)
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