President Ma Ying-jeou met with Kieren Keke, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Finance of the Republic of Nauru, at the Presidential Office on the morning of October 19. On behalf of the government and people of the ROC, President Ma welcomed Minister Keke on his visit to Taiwan.
The president commented that Nauru is home to about 12,000 people and that Nauru President Marcus Stephen has consistently been a good friend to the ROC. President Stephen visited Taiwan twice in 2008, and when President Ma traveled to Nauru in March of this year he had very pleasant talks with President Stephen and Minister Keke. President Ma expressed special appreciation for President Stephen's frequent advocacy in support of participation by the ROC in United Nations-affiliated organizations and activities, and for Minister Keke's assistance in helping the ROC achieve its goal of participating in the International Civil Aviation Organization.
President Ma noted that the main purpose of this visit by Minister Keke is to sign an agreement with the ROC providing visa-free courtesies for persons of the two countries holding diplomatic or official passports. This will help to streamline procedures when officials from the two countries travel back and forth. The president said that this pact not only has important significance for the bilateral relationship, but is also a major step forward in the alliance between the two.
The president remarked that the ROC is currently promoting the 360 Project in Nauru to help the nation achieve the goal of zero imports of six agricultural products within three years. This project has already yielded success and the president said he hopes that it will be expanded and extended to other ROC allies in the South Pacific, thereby helping to improve the lives of the people in other allies. President Ma mentioned that in July of this year a group of youth ambassadors from Fu Jen Catholic University traveled to Nauru with the assistance of the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs and interacted closely with the people of Nauru during their several-week stay there. The group reported on its experiences after returning to Taiwan and the president said he was deeply impressed with how this activity helped to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries. President Ma stated that the ROC and Nauru have a strong alliance and that he hopes bilateral ties will be strengthened in the areas of education, culture, agriculture, and health care so the alliance can move forward.
Minister Keke was accompanied to the Presidential Office in the morning by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Shen Ssu-tsun to meet President Ma. Also in attendance was National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Ko Kuang-yueh.