Your Excellency President Anote Tong of the Republic of Kiribati and Madam Tong; the Distinguished Delegation from Kiribati; Ambassadors and Foreign Representatives; Esteemed Colleagues; Distinguished Guests; Ladies and Gentlemen:
Good morning. Mauri!
I am very honored and pleased to be here today in front of the Presidential Office to welcome His Excellency President Anote Tong of the Republic of Kiribati and Madam Tong, who, with their entourage, are visiting Taiwan for the second time. On behalf of the government and the 23 million people of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I would like to extend my sincerest welcome to the distinguished delegation from the Republic of Kiribati.
After Kiribati established diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in November 2003, President and Madam Tong first visited Taiwan at my invitation in February 2004. Last May, I led a delegation to the Republic of Kiribati at the invitation of President Tong. Today, we are honored again by the presence of President and Madam Tong. These frequent mutual visits signify the strength of relations between our two brotherly nations.
Kiribati is a beautiful country, and those who have seen its sapphire ocean and met its hospitable people will never forget them. I still remember that on the morning of the final day of my visit to Kiribati last May, I got up especially early and walked out with a few others onto the beach next to the Otintaai Hotel where I was staying, and together we waited for the first rays of sunshine to come pouring down and signal the beginning of a new day.
But the sky remained gray and cloudy, and for a while we thought that we would not have the good fortune to witness the beautiful Kiribati sunrise. But before long, the clouds began to part and the first glimmers of red begin to peek through. Then, in a twinkling, golden rays filled the skies and dazzled our eyes.
We were overcome by the sight. Apart from bringing me great joy, this experience also helped me to understand on a deeper level the phrase, "The darkest hour is just before the dawn." The first light of morning, the light that overcomes the darkness, brings hope and it brings peace.
It has been only two and a half years since Kiribati and Taiwan established diplomatic relations, yet the frequent mutual visits and close cooperation between our two nations show that our relations have been maturing nicely. Both Taiwan and Kiribati are oceanic countries that embrace freedom and democracy and respect human rights. What's more, Taiwan's indigenous peoples and the people of Kiribati both speak languages of the Austronesian language family, and that is why both countries have much that is shared in our cultures, ethnic origins, languages, and customs.
Our two nations' similarities have created an environment conducive to both governmental and private-sector cooperation in carrying out infrastructure-building programs and cooperative agricultural and fishery projects that can benefit peoples in both countries. That these projects have been started and that some have already born fruit are evidence that the cooperative partnership between Taiwan and Kiribati is a good example for all democratic nations in the Pacific. It is my sincere hope that based on the existing foundation, our countries will continue to work together to the greater benefit of our peoples.
The government of Kiribati, led by President Tong, has been a faithful friend of Taiwan, speaking out to support Taiwan on many international occasions. As the saying goes, "the virtuous will never lack friends." Taiwan and Kiribati have become friends because of our common belief in the universal values of democracy and freedom. It is a blessing to have such a good friend like President Tong, and I would like to take this opportunity to once again express, on behalf of our government and people, our heartfelt gratitude to President Tong for all he has done for us.
Let me once again welcome President and Madam Tong to Taiwan, and I hope that Your Excellency and your delegation will gain a deeper understanding of Taiwan during your visit and that you fully enjoy your stay. In closing, I wish President and Madam Tong success and happiness, and to your great country, I wish prosperity. Thank you.