Undertaking her first trip abroad since assuming office in May, Tsai was welcomed at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport by Paraguay’s Foreign Minister Eladio Loizaga and ROC Ambassador to Paraguay Alexander Tah-ray Yui, before proceeding through a military honor guard to greet hundreds of cheering Taiwanese expatriates.
During her three-day stay in Paraguay, Tsai will hold discussions with President Horacio Cartes, address the South American nation’s congress and meet with Mario Abdo Benitez, president of the Paraguayan senate. Her itinerary also includes attending the opening of the new ROC embassy, reviewing progress of joint cooperation projects and taking part in a dinner banquet with Taiwanese expatriates.
Prior to touching down in Paraguay, Tsai held talks June 27 with Panama President Juan Carlos Varela at the presidential palace in Panama City, capital of the Central American country. They discussed opportunities for enhancing bilateral relations across such areas as agriculture, crime-fighting, education, health care and technology.
The president thanked Varela for his invitation to take part in the formal opening of the expanded Panama Canal June 26 and said she was moved by the excitement of the people for the project. “I hope we can work together to capitalize on new business and development opportunities created by the canal.”
Tsai also expressed gratitude for Varela’s interest in cross-strait relations and looks forward to his continued support in assisting Taiwan promote peace and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait.
Other highlights during the president’s three-day visit to Panama include witnessing the signing of a bilateral cooperation agreement on immigration and the prevention of human trafficking, overseeing the donation of 3,000 doses of Tamiflu to Panama’s health ministry to help combat a recent nationwide H1N1 influenza outbreak and meeting with Haitian first lady Ginette Michaud Privert and the Caribbean ROC diplomatic ally’s new Foreign Minister Pierrot Delienne.
Tsai will depart Paraguay June 30 and stopover in the U.S. city of Los Angeles before returning July 2 to Taiwan. (JSM-E)
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