President Chen Shui-bian on August 28 spent his second day in Nicaragua, which is the third country he is visiting on his "Trip of Joint Grand Vision and Eternal Concern" to Central American diplomatic allies.
In the morning, President Chen and his entourage visited the Manolo Morales Hospital in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua. Escorted by Nicaragua Vice President Jaime Morales, Health Minister Maritza Cuan, and ROC (Taiwan) Ambassador to Nicaragua Wu Chin-mu, President Chen was briefed on the operations of the hospital as well as the medical services it provides. After the briefing, the president was invited to make remarks.
The hospital was named after the lawyer Manolo Morales, who devoted his life to the pursuit of rights for medical workers in Nicaragua. The facility is a public teaching hospital, which specializes in orthopedic medicine and surgery. The hospital has made a significant contribution in providing medical care to the people of Nicaragua.
President Chen said that health and access to medical care are basic human rights, and have consistently been priorities for the Taiwan government. He said Taiwan also places great emphasis on providing medical humanitarian assistance to its friends and allies. President Chen stressed that the Taiwan government is willing to provide its advanced medical technology to Nicaragua and share with the people of Nicaragua Taiwan's successful experiences in public health and disease prevention. Taiwan will assist the Nicaraguan government in raising the quality of medical care, helping to meet the basic needs of its people and improving the wellbeing of the populace.
After leaving the hospital, President Chen visited a factory established and operated in Nicaragua by Taiwan textile manufacturer Nien Hsing Textile Co., Ltd. The president received a briefing and listened to representatives of the Taiwan business community in Nicaragua. He then expressed his admiration and appreciation for the efforts and hard work of the Taiwan entrepreneurs living in the Central American nation.
In the afternoon, President Chen and Nicaragua President Jose Daniel Ortega Saavedra held a joint press conference and signed a joint communiqué. Each of the leaders then made brief remarks.
The communiqué noted that the two leaders met a number of times in a harmonious environment to exchange opinions on bilateral relations, international and regional topics, and issues of mutual concern. The two leaders also reaffirmed their goal of strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
After the signing ceremony, President Ortega presented President Chen with an oil painting of a traditional Nicaraguan woman wearing traditional Nicaraguan dress. In return, President Chen presented a wood-carving image depicting a farmer at harvest time, entitled Contentment. President Chen also expressed his hope that under President Ortega's leadership, the Zero Hunger Project will be realized in the near future, which will enable the people of Nicaragua to truly sense contentment.
In the evening, President Chen returned to his hotel where he hosted a banquet for members of the overseas compatriot community in Nicaragua as well as ROC (Taiwan) embassy employees and their family members. The president thanked everyone for their hard work and contributions, and took commemorative photos with them.