Vice President Vincent C. Siew and Mrs. Siew spent a third day in the Republic of Paraguay. At 9:30 a.m. local time on May 16 (9:30 p.m. May 16 Taipei time), the vice president met for very cordial discussions with Martín Burt, the founder and CEO of Fundacion Paraguaya, and Dr. Fernando Pfannl, advisor to Paraguayan Vice President Federico Franco.
Vice President Siew stated that when he served as Minister of Economic Affairs he met Mr. Burt, who at the time was serving as Paraguay's Vice Minister of Commerce, and noted that he and Mr. Burt are both former recipients of Eisenhower Fellowships. Vice President Siew studied in the United States on an Eisenhower Fellowship in 1985, while Mr. Burt received the Eisenhower Fellowship Award from both the US and Taiwan. Vice President Siew said that he is especially happy to have the opportunity today to meet with an old friend.
Mr. Burt also previously served as the mayor of Asuncion, and both he and Vice President Franco belong to the Liberal Party. However, he presently is involved with his private foundation. Mr. Burt extended cordial greetings to Vice President Siew and expressed his appreciation to overseas compatriots from the ROC for their contribution to Paraguay's economic growth. The vice president remarked that he attended Paraguay's bicentennial celebrations the day before and deeply sensed the hospitality and enthusiasm of the Paraguayan government and people. He expressed his hope for a lasting friendship between the two countries.
Shortly thereafter at about 11:50 a.m. (11:50 p.m. the same day Taipei time), the vice president and his delegation traveled to the Sheraton Hotel, where he and his Paraguayan counterpart Federico Franco officiated a ceremony marking the release of a set of stamps to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Paraguay and the centennial of the Republic of China. Paraguayan First Lady Mercedes Lugo de Maidana and key government officials, along with ROC Senior Advisor to the President Chan Chi-shean (詹啟賢) and Mrs. Chan, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Timothy Chin-tien Yang (楊進添) and Mrs. Yang were on hand to witness the ceremonies. In all, about 200 VIPs were present for the event. The two vice presidents, their wives, and distinguished guests attending the event stamped a first-day postmark on the commemorative stamps, symbolizing the unshakable alliance between the two nations.
In remarks, Vice President Siew stated that May 15 marked the bicentennial of Paraguay's independence, while this year is also the centennial of the ROC. He said that at this special moment in history, he is honored to represent President Ma Ying-jeou in leading a delegation to Paraguay, at the invitation of Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo and based on the traditionally warm relationship between the two countries. He also expressed his pleasure in officiating ceremonies marking the issuance of the commemorative stamp with Vice President Franco. This event not only attests to the special significance of the alliance between the two countries, but also highlights the close friendship between Paraguay and the ROC, he said.
The vice president explained that this marks the third joint issuance of stamps by the two countries. The first joint issuance of commemorative stamps was in 2002 to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two. That set of stamps featured the main gate and the main hall at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, and the national flowers of the two countries. In 2007, Paraguay issued another set of commemorative stamps to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties. Those stamps featured the Taipei 101 building, the yueqin (a four-stringed musical instrument), a Chinese tea set, a Paraguayan harp, and a Paraguayan mate teapot. That set of stamps highlighted the traditional culture and the lifestyles of people of both nations, he said, and was widely popular among stamp collectors.
This year marks the third issuance of commemorative stamps, which feature Paraguay's National Pantheon of Heroes and the ROC's National Martyrs' Shrine. Vice President Siew commented that heroes from the two nations involved in the founding of the two nations fought in the pursuit of freedom, equality, and independence. While the bodies of these national martyrs have already returned to the earth, their spirits still live on, he stated. Paraguay's National Pantheon of Heroes and the ROC's National Martyrs' Shrine are both national memorial halls that symbolize respect for the martyrs of the respective nations, the vice president said. Having these edifices serve as the theme of the stamps helps to remind their descendants of the sacrifices made in establishment of the countries, as well as the contributions these individuals made to democracy, freedom and human rights.
Vice President Siew furthermore stated that Paraguay's economy has thrived in recent years and the standard of living in Paraguay has risen considerably. Meanwhile, the ROC has made significant progress in Taiwan-mainland China relations, foreign affairs, economic and trade relations, and social development under the leadership of President Ma Ying-jeou, the vice president said. He emphasized that the governments of both countries actively promote the well-being of their people. He also expressed his hope that Paraguay and the ROC can further enhance ties in trade, economic relations, culture, and education, so as to further strengthen the bilateral relationship and create greater prosperity.
With regard to Vice President Franco’s comment that he hopes to further strengthen bilateral trade and economic relations, Vice President Siew said he deeply shares the desire to pursue greater well-being for the people of the two countries, and affirmed that he is willing to speak on behalf of Paraguay and serve as that nation's spokesman. At the same time, he expressed his hope that Vice President Franco will lead a delegation to Taiwan later this year to participate in celebrations marking the ROC's centenary. During his stay, Vice President Franco would have the opportunity to personally hold discussions with Taiwan's business community, which would help Taiwan's enterprises to better understand Paraguay's economic potential. Vice President Siew said he is confident that this would help to foster closer economic and trade ties.
At 3:00 p.m. (3:00 a.m. on May 16 Taipei time), Vice President Siew and his delegation returned to Asuncion International Airport. Vice President Franco and Mrs. Franco were on hand to escort them. After being saluted by a Paraguayan color guard and bid farewell by overseas compatriots, Vice President Siew boarded his chartered plane, which took off from Paraguay and headed to the Republic of Panama, the next step on his journey. After a nearly six-hour flight, the plane arrived in Panama at around 8 p.m. local time (9:00 a.m. on May 16 Taipei time). Panama's Vice President and Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Varela and Director General of Protocol Cristóbal Sarmiento greeted Vice President Siew at the bottom of the stairs to his aircraft. The officials then held brief discussions in a meeting room for dignitaries at the airport, marking the beginning of Vice President Siew's trip to Panama, the second stop in Latin America on this journey, labeled "Project Eternal Friendship."