On December 4th, President Chen Shui-bian met with Sir Peter Kenilorea, Speaker of the Solomon Islands Parliament, and members of his visiting group, expressing wholehearted welcome to the delegation.
President Chen recalled his trip to the Solomon Islands in January 2005, which made him the first ROC president to visit the nation since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1983. He thanked Sir Peter Kenilorea for the warm hospitality accorded to him during the visit and especially for the arrangement for him to address the Solomon Islands Parliament before his departure.
President Chen praised Sir Kenilorea as a senior statesman and forefather of the Solomon Islands, who was elected as the first Prime Minister after the country became independent in 1978 and won the recognition and support of his people. President Chen particularly mentioned that but for the great assistance of Sir Kenilorea, the Solomon Islands could not have officially set up its Embassy in Taiwan in May 2003.
President Chen indicated that when many donor countries evacuated the Solomon Islands in the wake of its ethnic conflicts in 2000, Taiwan was the only one that stayed to weather the hard times with the people there. He said he believes that the people of the Solomon Islands could well feel Taiwan's staunch support. Moreover, President Chen expressed his hope that the cooperation between the two nations in the areas of infrastructure, medical care, health care, education, culture, career training, and agricultural and fishery technology will continue to grow on the current basis.
In the end, President Chen asked Sir Kenilorea to convey his regards to Governor-General Nathaniel R. Waena and Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, and especially his deepest thanks to the latter for his powerful speech in support of Taiwan in the UN sessions this past September.