President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of August 5 at the Presidential Office met with Republic of Nauru President Mr. Marcus Stephen and Mrs. Stephen. The president, on behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China, welcomed President and Mrs. Stephen to Taiwan on a state visit.
President Ma said that Nauru is a young country. He noted that the two nations established diplomatic relations in 1980 and the alliance between the two now spans over two decades. The president said the ROC is pleased to share its development experience with the people of Nauru to help that nation in its development. He added that he looks forward to the continued implementation of cooperative projects between the two nations.
President Ma reiterated his appreciation to President Stephen for leading a delegation to Taiwan to take part in the May 20th inauguration of himself as president and Vincent C. Siew as vice president. He said he hopes President Stephen will stay in Taiwan for a longer period on this trip, enabling him to visit many places throughout Taiwan and gain a deeper understanding of the development throughout all parts of Taiwan.
President Stephen thanked the ROC government for extending him an invitation to make a state visit. He also said he appreciated the stately reception he has received. President Stephen said he has led a large delegation on this visit, indicating the respect that Nauru has for the ROC and the importance it places on relations between the two countries. Nauru and the ROC share the same values stressing democracy, human rights and rule of the law, he said, adding that both pursue peace, democracy and economic development. He said that the two countries have a true partnership relationship.
President Stephen also told President Ma that he once was a weightlifter and he represented Nauru in the Olympic Games on three occasions. He said that making this visit to Taiwan on the eve of the Olympic Games carries deep meaning for him. He said he hopes to use this opportunity to reaffirm Nauru's pledges to the ROC as well as the importance it places on relations between the two countries. President Stephen said Nauru also requires and cherishes support from Taiwan. He expressed confidence that the ties between the two countries will become even closer under the leadership of President Ma.
President Ma responded by saying that joint efforts by the two nations are paving the way for a continued strengthening of cooperative ties based on the existing foundation. He also expressed his gratitude to President Stephen for visiting Taiwan in the run-up to the Olympic Games. President Ma said that Nauru, located in the Central Pacific, has plentiful fisheries resources. He said the ROC and Nauru maintain several fisheries-related cooperative projects, adding that this is one area in which cooperation could be expanded. The president furthermore said that Nauru and Taiwan are similar in that both have hot climates. Nauru, however, is not frequented by typhoons. The president said Nauru could take advantage of its abundant sunshine to develop related industries.
President and Mrs. Stephen were accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Minister of Foreign Affairs Francisco H. L. Ou to meet with President Ma. The meeting was held after President Stephen was welcomed with full military honors. Also attending the meeting were Secretary-General to the President Chan Chuen-po and National Security Council Secretary-General Su Chi.