Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Cho; Minister of Foreign Affairs and ICDF Chairman Huang; ICDF Secretary-General Chen; Dean of the Diplomatic Corps Ambassador Sawadogo; Esteemed Ambassadors; Distinguished Guests; ICDF Staff; Ladies and Gentlemen:
Good Evening and Congratulations!
I am greatly delighted to take part in tonight's celebration of the 10th anniversary of the International Cooperation and Development Fund. It is a great pleasure to be with so many distinguished guests and ambassadors who take interest in Taiwan's foreign aid work, and who celebrate the ICDF's birthday in testimony to its achievements and contributions. Truly, this is a moment to cherish.
As a country whose successful development spurred by the generosity of foreign aid providers, Taiwan is more than willing to share with its diplomatic allies our developmental experiences. We are happy to join hands with our diplomatic allies and move forward as one in pursuit of a better life by working with them in the areas of our strengths--such as agriculture, fishery, animal husbandry, medical treatment, healthcare, industrial technology, and information technology.
Evolving global trends have engendered a growing diversification of avenues for diplomatic interaction and international cooperation. In response, our government established the ICDF on this day ten years ago, constituting one of the most important milestones in Taiwan's participation in the international community.
The birth of the ICDF in 1996 opened a new chapter in Taiwan's foreign aid endeavors. Our country's foreign aid work began much earlier, however, back to 1959, when we sent a technical team to Vietnam to assist in its agricultural development. Over the years, Taiwan has engaged in technical cooperation with 73 countries. Since the ICDF was established, besides continuing to provide technical cooperation to other countries, it has worked with several European countries on financial projects and participated in humanitarian relief efforts in various nations in the Asia-Pacific region.
Nearly ninety countries have joined in cooperative projects with Taiwan since our country began providing foreign aid. All in all, ICDF has also played a vital and substantive role in carrying out the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' multidimensional diplomatic strategy.
At the present, Taiwan has 36 technical missions with a total number of 245 personnel stationed in 30 countries. Moreover, since our alternative diplomatic service program was launched in 2001, about 250 servicemen have been dispatched to serve with 34 of Taiwan's technical missions in 28 different countries. Numerous accounts of their fascinating experiences stand as shining examples of people's diplomacy.
In May, when I led a delegation on a nine-day visit to allies in Latin America, our hosts received our delegation with great warmth, touching us very deeply. I believe that such cordial relations would not be possible were it not for the Taiwanese people's diligent cultivation of international friendship. Especially gratifying is the immense efforts made by our technical mission personnel, overseas volunteers, and military draftees who have joined our alternative diplomatic service program.
It is the many perseverant and courageous people of Taiwan, who never give up, that have paved the way for Taiwan's foreign aid work. That is why, whenever I visit our diplomatic allies, I make a point of paying visits to our technical missions stationed there. Seeing their staff members' sincere and uncomplaining smiles, I realize that they are precisely the sort of people sought by the great Scottish explorer David Livingstone, who said, "If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all."
Although the way for Taiwan's international participation has never been smooth, we are blessed with many citizens who are willing to blaze new paths, endure hardships, and sacrifice personal comfort out of wholehearted commitment to the work of foreign aid and diplomacy. They have striven to improve our diplomatic situation and expand room for our international participation in the down-to-earth spirit of so-called "Taiwan yam children." I believe that with the collective efforts of so many excellent people, we will find ways for Taiwan to open up new roads where there were none, and to nurture an abundance of friendship where it was wanting.
On this 10th birthday of the ICDF, I would like to take the opportunity to express my highest respect and deepest gratitude for all ICDF staff members, all of our overseas technical mission personnel, and all overseas volunteers and alternative servicemen.
As I share with all of you the joy of celebrating ICDF's birthday, I would also like to take this opportunity to encourage all ICDF staff to strive for ever higher plateaus of performance and demonstrate to the world the Taiwanese people's desire to volunteer their resources for the good of humanity. I wish you the greatest success in applying your skills and professionalism to helping countries in need of them, so as to give concrete expression to universal goals and values such as sustainable development and human dignity.
In closing, I would like to wish all our distinguished guests and friends health, happiness, and great success. Thank you!