President Ma Ying-jeou praised ROC-Haiti relations April 22 in Taipei City, vowing to bolster bilateral cooperation and take the friendship between the two countries to a new high.
The ROC is willing to share its successful development experiences with Haiti and offer suggestions in addressing the challenges and difficulties faced by the Caribbean diplomatic ally, Ma said.
Both nations are set to deepen exchanges across the board, with the ROC playing a greater role in assisting Haiti with post-disaster construction and national development, he added.
Ma made the remarks during a welcoming ceremony for Haitian President Michel J. Martelly, who is leading a 30-member delegation to the ROC on a four-day state visit.
Other visiting Haitian officials include Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre-Duly Brutus, Minister of Commerce and Industry Wilson Laleau, and Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development Thomas Jacques.
Martelly is the first Haitian president to visit Taiwan in 12 years, Ma said, adding that his trip to the Caribbean country last August was the first by an ROC president. These positive developments bear testimony to the solid friendship spanning 58 years between the two nations, he added.
Following the ceremony, Ma and Martelly met at the Presidential Office to discuss issues of mutual interest, as well as regional and international developments.
The leaders also signed an 11-point joint communique, commending respective efforts in promoting domestic democracy and stability; committing to further collaboration on the global economic challenges and climate change; and calling for more private sector exchanges.
Ma extended his appreciation for Haiti’s support of Taiwan in the international arena, while Martelly thanked the ROC for its assistance in rebuilding Haiti after a strong earthquake devastated the country in early 2010.
During a state banquet in the evening, Ma awarded Martelly the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon, while Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y. L. Lin awarded Brutus the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon. Martelly and Brutus returned the favor by presenting Ma and Lin with Haitian medals of honor.
Separately, Lin and Brutus concluded a cooperative agreement on rice production to strengthen food security in Haiti.
According to the MOFA, the five-year project calls for the ROC to assist Haiti in setting up a national rice testing center and boosting its annual rice production to 2,000 metric tons. (SFC-JSM)
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