President Tsai Ing-wen said March 22 that Taiwan and the Marshall Islands are Indo-Pacific partners bound by a shared Austronesian heritage and the universal values of freedom, democracy and respect for human rights.
Both countries are cooperating closely in forging opportunities spanning such areas as agriculture, clean energy, infrastructure and public health, Tsai said. Even greater effort will be made going forward to expanding related exchanges for the benefit of the people, she added.
Tsai made the remarks while receiving President David Kabua, first lady Ginger Kabua and the Marshall Islands delegation at the Presidential Office in Taipei City.
Kabua, who is on a five-day state visit to Taiwan, was welcomed by Tsai with a military honor guard, awarded the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon for contributions to advancing bilateral relations and feted with a state banquet. Other attendees at the events included Vice President Lai Ching-te, Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu and Secretary-General to the President David Tawei Lee.
According to Tsai, Taiwan and the Marshall Islands will complete amendments to a bilateral agricultural technical cooperation pact and establish an adaption and contingency fund for climate change. Such initiatives are expected to promote progress on sustainable development and global prosperity, she said.
Tsai also took the opportunity to thank Kabua for supporting Taiwan at numerous global events, including last year’s U.N. General Assembly. It is sincerely hoped this backing will continue in the international community as both countries cooperate closely on matters of national development, she said.
In response, Kabua lauded Taiwan as an important ally and friend of the Marshall Islands. This trip underscores this strength of the relationship with Taiwan, as well as the government’s desire to deepen friendship and ties, he added.
Kabua also presented a copy of the Taiwan Friendship Resolution passed unanimously March 18 by the Marshall Islands Parliament urging Taiwan’s participation in the U.N. and international agencies such as the World Health Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization, Interpol and U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kabua and the delegation are scheduled to tour disaster response facilities, local businesses and International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), as well as meet with Marshall Islands students, before departing March 25 from Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. (SFC-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw