Republic of China (Taiwan) President Tsai Ing-wen attended the inauguration ceremony of Nicaraguan President Jose Daniel Ortega Saavedra Jan. 10 at Revolution Square in Managua, the capital of the Central American ROC diplomatic ally.
Tsai, who is on the second leg of a nine-day visit to four Central American diplomatic allies that includes Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador in that order, was seated next to Nicaraguan Vice President and first lady Rosario Murillo, and heads of state from Bolivia, El Salvador, Honduras and Venezuela. She was introduced as “sister” to the other invitees by Ortega during his inauguration address.
The day before the ceremony, the president met with Ortega shortly after arriving in Nicaragua. She thanked him for supporting Taiwan’s efforts to take part in the U.N. and other international organizations, as well as pledged to identify new areas for cooperation between the two countries.
In response, Ortega said he was pleased Tsai had accepted the invitation to attend his inauguration ceremony and would continue supporting Taiwan as it seeks more rights and to participate in international organizations and their related activities, according to the Office of the President.
Tsai held a breakfast meeting Jan. 10 with business leaders from Nicaragua and Taiwan, toured several textile firms operated by Taiwan companies in the Las Mercedes Export Processing Zone and took part in a luncheon with Taiwan expatriates.
During the meeting and luncheon, Tsai said Taiwan and Nicaragua share a longstanding and firm relationship, with the two countries facing geopolitical and economic challenges. The free trade agreement signed between the two nations in 2006 has laid a solid foundation for bilateral cooperation, with two-way trade surging from US$47 million to US$120 million last year, she added.
According to the president, in the decade since the inking of the FTA, exports from Nicaragua to Taiwan grew 10 times to nearly US$90 million, making it the country’s only diplomatic ally to enjoy a trade surplus. Taiwan is also Nicaragua’s first and eighth largest export market in Asia and the world, respectively.
Tsai said the efforts of Taiwan technical missions have paid dividends, with the Central American nation’s rice development center renowned as a regional leader in improving cultivation of the cereal grain. Several other Taiwan-implemented joint projects have also contributed to the significant development of cattle and pig breeding in Nicaragua, she added.
These achievements underscore the spirit of the government’s steadfast diplomacy, the president said, adding that this approach aims to promote mutual benefits and understanding between Taiwan and its diplomatic allies.
As part of this undertaking, Tsai said the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is studying the possibility of setting up an exhibition zone dedicated to promoting Taiwan’s diplomatic allies at the annual Taipei International Travel Fair. This will allow the people of Taiwan to appreciate the beautiful scenery of the countries and witness firsthand the strength of bilateral ties, she added.
For the remainder of the president’s second overseas trip since taking office May 20, 2016, she will lead a fact-finding visit to coffee plantations in El Salvador. Tsai is scheduled to return to Taiwan Jan. 15 after a stopover in San Francisco. (SFC-E)
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