President Ma Ying-jeou arrived at Bonriki International Airport in the Republic of Kiribati at 3:30 p.m. Kiribati time on March 22 (11:30 a.m. March 22 Taipei time). ROC Ambassador to Kiribati Benjamin Ho and Kiribati Chief of Protocol Mrs. Bwena Mauna boarded President Ma's plane and escorted him off the aircraft. Kiribati Parliament Speaker Taomati Iuta, Health and Medical Services Minister Kautu Tenanaua, and Foreign Secretary Tessie Lambourne were waiting at the bottom of the stairs to greet President Ma. The President and members of his delegation received wreaths from Miss Kiribati 2009 and Mr. Independence. Officials from the two countries shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. President Ma went to shake hands with embassy staff and their families, as well as representatives of the Taiwan business community in Kiribati, and also expressed his appreciation to them for coming to greet him.
After departing the airport, President Ma was escorted to Bairiki Stadium where he was welcomed by the police color guard. Kiribati President Anote Tong was at the stadium to welcome President Ma. After the playing of the national anthems of the two nations, the two leaders, led by the police chief, inspected the color guard. President Ma was warmly received by the public on hand and also waved to the crowd.
In light of the wide-ranging cooperation between the two countries in fisheries and aquaculture, President Ma was escorted by President Tong to visit an aquaculture facility that was established with assistance by the TaiwanICDF's Technical Mission in Kiribati. Taberannang Timeon, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development, was also on hand to accompany the leaders on the tour. Besides touring a breeding pond, the two leaders also stopped at an aquatic incubation center and watched the feeding of milkfish. President Ma and President Tong also witnessed a ceremony in which ROC Foreign Minister Timothy C. T. Yang presented milkfish fry to Kiribati on behalf of the ROC. President Ma also donated funds raised by the ROC Technical Mission in Kiribati through its sales of vegetables, chicken eggs, and milkfish to a school for the disabled, the Te Toa Matoa Association, and an organization to help alcoholics break their addiction. This gesture was aimed at expressing his concern for these places and also his support for the work they are carrying out.
President Ma stated that he initiated the concepts of flexible diplomacy and aboveboard diplomacy when he was inaugurated with the hope of embracing the spirit of humanitarianism to assist the allies to develop. The ROC will promote these nations' exports, and help to improve the living standards of their people. He said he hopes that the close friendship between the ROC and Kiribati will continue to serve as a foundation from which to assist Kiribati in pursuing new models for development. The president stated that he is pleased to see the ROC act in that role.
The president furthermore said that President Tong mentioned, in an earlier meeting, the impact of global warming and the resulting rise in sea levels in Kiribati. Kiribati sits just two meters above sea level, and just one meter when the tide is especially high. In order to avoid danger, Kiribati has to face the possibility of moving a large number of its people to safer areas. In response to President Tong's remarks, President Ma said that he mentioned the various methods offered by advanced nations in responding to climate change. President Tong expressed a deep interest in the ROC's initiatives to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions. President Ma said that the ROC government has seen concrete successes in the measures it has promoted to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. He said that even though the ROC is not a signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and was not able to take part in the climate change summit in Copenhagen last year, it is nevertheless making a contribution to sustainable development through its role as a member of the global village. The president said the ROC is concerned by the threat that global warming poses to the continued existence of Kiribati. Therefore, it will assist Kiribati in finding new ways to ensure its survival.
In the evening, President Tong hosted a state banquet for President Ma in his residence. Many key members of the political community in Kiribati attended the event. The Formosa Aboriginal Song and Dance Troupe, which is accompanying President Ma on the journey, performed at the event, as did a traditional dance troupe from Kiribati, helping to add to the festivity of the occasion.