President Tsai Ing-wen will depart Jan. 7 on a nine-day tour of Republic of China (Taiwan) diplomatic allies Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador, the Office of the President announced Dec. 20.
Deputy Foreign Minister Javier Ching-shan Hou said the trip aims to deepen friendships with Central American allies, bolster economic exchanges and trade ties, and allow officials to witness the results of Taiwan’s efforts to cooperate with the Central American Integration System, an alliance designed to enhance political and economic ties between countries in the region.
According to Hou, Tsai’s trip is in line with the nation’s policy of steadfast diplomacy, which seeks to strengthen cooperation with countries that share common values on a mutually beneficial basis.
During her visit to Central America, the president will meet with national leaders and high-ranking officials to exchange views on relevant bilateral and international issues. In addition, the president will inspect cooperation programs including the “one town, one product” project in Honduras that promotes local business development.
In Nicaragua, she is scheduled to attend the Jan. 10 inauguration of President Daniel Ortega, who won re-election in November, and will also visit Taiwan-invested clothing factories operating in the country. In Guatemala, Tsai will tour the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Antigua to help promote tourism. She will then meet with coffee makers in El Salvador to enhance understanding of the industry among Taiwan businesspeople.
This will be Tsai’s second overseas trip since assuming office in May. She will be accompanied by a delegation comprising National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu, Foreign Minister David Tawei Lee, Overseas Community Affairs Council Minister Wu Hsin-hsing and other officials as well as business leaders.
In June, she attended the inauguration ceremony of the Panama Canal expansion project, followed by a visit to Paraguay. (KTJ-E)
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