President Tsai Ing-wen said Sept. 26 that she looks forward to taking relations between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Solomon Islands to new heights by bolstering exchanges across the board and promoting mutually beneficial collaboration.
The ROC and Solomon Islands are staunch diplomatic allies, Tsai said. It is hoped the two countries will expand bilateral cooperation in such areas as clean energy, meteorological research and talent cultivation, she added.
Tsai made the remarks while receiving a 15-member delegation led by Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare at the Office of the President. Earlier the same day, she accompanied Sogavare—making his fifth visit to Taiwan since first taking office in 2000—as he inspected a military honor guard at Liberty Square in front of National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei.
Exchanges between the ROC and Solomon Islands have steadily expanded since the president was sworn in May 20, 2016, with the two sides concluding a memorandum of understanding on meteorological cooperation and an open skies agreement in April and June of the same year, respectively.
The strength of two-way ties is also underscored by the signing Sept. 25 in Taipei of a sister port pact between Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan and Solomon Islands capital Honiara. Under the agreement, the two cities will cooperate on promoting technical exchanges and sharing experiences in port management and operations.
Tsai also extended her appreciation to Sogavare on behalf of the government and people of Taiwan for backing the country’s international participation during the U.N. General Assembly earlier this month in New York. She also called for the inclusion of Taiwan in the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and said the country is ready and willing to contribute to the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
In response, Sogavare said the Solomon Islands attaches great importance to ties with the ROC as the two nations share such universal values as respect for and promotion of human and indigenous rights. He thanked Tsai for the government’s support and looks forward to more investment from Taiwan going forward.
The ROC and Solomon Islands established official relations in 1983. The allies have maintained close and friendly relations, with bilateral cooperation projects spanning such areas as agriculture, medical care and sustainable development. These include the installation of meteorological and seismological observation equipment, as well providing related technical training. (SFC-E)
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