President Lai Ching-te said Sept. 12 that Taiwan is committed to collaborating closely with Tuvalu to further sustainable development in the Pacific.
Lai made the remarks while meeting with a delegation led by Iakoba Taeia Italeli, speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu, at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. Italeli was accompanied by Ampelosa Manoa Tehulu, minister of public works, infrastructure and environment, and member of Parliament Namoliki Sualiki Neemia.
Taiwan and Tuvalu enjoy a close relationship in areas spanning agriculture, culture, fisheries, health care, and information and communications technology, Lai said. The president noted that the allies are also working with like-minded partners including Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. to meet the challenges posed by climate change, adding that such efforts strengthen Tuvalu’s coastal protection efforts and enhance its ability to adapt to erratic weather and rising oceans.
The president cited a relevant workshop held for the first time last month in Tuvalu under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework and said that he looks forward to promoting additional international cooperation projects with the Pacific ally and further elevating the diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Lai took the opportunity to thank Italeli and the Tuvaluan government for their long-standing support for Taiwan’s international participation in venues such as the U.N. General Assembly and the World Health Assembly. Tuvalu’s decision to defend Taiwan’s right to participate in the Pacific Islands Forum held last month is also appreciated, he said.
In response, Italeli thanked Taiwan for its steadfast friendship, citing a bilateral agreement that saw a mobile medical team sent from Taiwan to Tuvalu and a marine cable project to facilitate Tuvaluans’ access to information. Taiwan’s role in improving his country’s agriculture and fisheries is also deeply grateful, he said.
The speaker said Tuvalu’s commitment to Taiwan remains unwavering, and the country will continue advocating for Taiwan’s recognition in international bodies. He pledged to elevate the bilateral relationship and concluded by inviting Lai to visit Tuvalu. (YCH-E)
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