President Chen Shui-bian on January 18 returned to Taiwan at 6:10 a.m., marking the completion of "The Journey of Mutual Friendship and Sustained Development." The president delivered remarks at the airport immediately after his return. Vice President Annette Lu, Premier Chang Chun-hsiung, Examination Yuan President Yao Chia-wen, Secretary-General to the President Yeh Chu-lan, Deputy Secretary-General to the President Chen Chi-mai and Burkina Faso Ambassador to the ROC (Taiwan) Jacques Sawadogo, who is the head of the foreign diplomatic corps in Taiwan, were on hand to greet the president.
President Chen said that this five day trip, which included 48 hours in the air, went smoothly and was a resounding success. He said that he first went to the Republic of Guatemala, one of Taiwan's diplomatic allies in Central America, to attend the inauguration of President Alvaro Colom Caballeros. He also held bilateral meetings with heads of state and the leaders of delegations attending the inauguration from countries friendly to Taiwan in the region. The president met with the presidents of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras, as well as the foreign minister of Belize. In addition to having a chance to meet with old friends, the president and the respective leaders exchanged opinions on issues of mutual concern, working to strengthen bilateral cooperative relationships and friendship. These friendly countries re-iterated their support for Taiwan and their resolve to further solidify their ties with Taiwan. The heads of state also accepted invitations extended by President Chen to visit Taiwan in the near future or at a convenient time.
After leaving Guatemala, the president made a state visit to St. Lucia. This marked the first time that a president from Taiwan had led a delegation to the beautiful Caribbean nation referred to as the Helen of the West Indies. The president told of the warm welcome and reception that he received from the government and people of St. Lucia during his stay there. St. Lucia Prime Minister Stephenson King personally led a delegation of Cabinet members to greet the president on his arrival, and was virtually with the president during his entire stay in the nation. Even though President Chen was in St. Lucia for just one short day, he paid a visit to Governor-General Dame Pearlette Louisy and had meetings with Prime Minister King. The president and the prime minister signed a joint communiqué, and he also visited a girls junior high school and Victoria Hospital, both of which have received assistance from Taiwan. The president enjoyed a three hour boat trip on his final day in St. Lucia to see the lovely coastline of that nation. He also visited St. Lucia's most famous scenic site Pitons, also known as "twin peaks." The president took the opportunity while on the vessel to interact with Prime Minister King, other Cabinet members as well as members of the local media. He also chatted with members of the Taiwan media that were traveling with him, expressing his hope of helping to promote tourism to St. Lucia. The lovely afternoon at sea and the cordial environment has helped to boost friendship between the countries, solidifying the foundation for a cooperative partnership, he said.
Meanwhile, President Chen also made mention that prior to attending the inauguration of the new president of Guatemala, Malawi announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Malawi succumbed to the enticements made by China, he said. The president said that while officials here were aware of the situation and were not surprised by the development, he nonetheless regrets the events that took place. The president said that in the future China will only strengthen its efforts in the international arena to isolate Taiwan. Taiwan must break free of these constraints and bravely stand up on the international stage. President Chen said that the government and people of Taiwan must be even more united in the face of these increasing attempts by China to isolate the nation and must prevent China from achieving its "three alls" policy of swallowing Taiwan.