President Ma Ying-jeou met with Republic of Sao Tome and Principe President Fradique Bandeira Melo de Menezes at the Presidential Office on October 8. The president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC, welcomed his counterpart to Taiwan and expressed his hope that the strong bond between the two countries will continue.
President Ma noted that the ROC and Sao Tome and Principe have maintained formal diplomatic relations for 13 years and the alliance between the two is quite stable. This marks the eighth visit to Taiwan by President de Menezes since his inauguration in 2001, he said, adding that President de Menezes’s current visit is especially meaningful as he will participate in the ROC's Double Tenth National Day festivities.
President Ma remarked that Sao Tome and Principe has provided considerable assistance to the ROC in its efforts to participate in international organizations and activities. Last year, he said, Sao Tome and Principe spoke on behalf of the ROC at the United Nations General Assembly twice, supporting the ROC's participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. He said that President de Menezes has personally expressed strong support for the ROC at the UN, adding that he deeply appreciates his counterpart's friendship towards the ROC.
President Ma stated that after the establishment of diplomatic ties, the ROC dispatched agricultural and medical missions to Sao Tome and Principe, and noted that bilateral cooperation has now entered a fourth stage that includes power generation, education, and infrastructure. President Ma added that he is especially pleased to see good progress in joint efforts to control malaria.
President Ma commented that since taking office he has sought to solidify the ROC’s ties with its diplomatic and non-diplomatic allies while also strengthening relations with mainland China. Improvement in cross-strait ties has helped to reduce tensions between the two sides and put trade and economic relations on a more systematic footing. The president explained that the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement in late June this year has further improved cross-strait relations, but the warming of ties with mainland China will not impact the ROC's alliances with its diplomatic partners. He said he hopes that cooperation projects and interaction between the ROC and Sao Tome and Principe will continue and expand.
The president stressed that the ROC is striving to be a peacemaker in the international community and a provider of international assistance. Last year, an ROC white paper on foreign assistance declared that in implementing foreign aid, Taiwan's policy is to seek proper goals, act lawfully, and exercise effective administration. This policy has been lauded by the ROC's allies, he said, and made the ROC's foreign aid work more effective and systematic. President Ma said he hopes that this trip by President de Menezes will help to further strengthen bilateral relations and solidify the alliance between the two countries.