Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

President Ma Ying-jeou on the evening of September 5 met with First Lady of the Republic of Paraguay Mercedes Lugo de Maidana. The president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC, extended a welcome to the first lady on her visit to Taiwan.

The president remarked that Ms. Lugo is the elder sister of Paraguayan President Fernando Lugo, who is single and decided to designate his sister as First Lady of Paraguay. She has been involved in teaching for several decades, and founded the Fundación Madre Paraguaya to assist the public residing in rural and remote places. The first lady's work has made her a respected and beloved figure among the people of Paraguay, he said.

President Ma commented that the ROC and Paraguay established formal diplomatic relations in 1957 and have enjoyed solid ties since then. Paraguay has spoken on behalf of the ROC on many occasions at international venues and has provided assistance to us, which the government and people here will always remember. In addition, in March of this year President Lugo visited Taiwan and in May President Ma dispatched Vice President Vincent C. Siew to Paraguay to attend celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of that nation's independence. President Ma stated that this visit to Taiwan by First Lady Lugo marks the third time this year for interaction between the two countries at the highest levels, which the president said he is delighted to see.

First Lady Lugo expressed her gratitude to the ROC for the social welfare, agricultural, and medical assistance it has provided Paraguay, and called for continued cooperation and interaction between the two countries in a broad range of areas.

First Lady Lugo was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Thomas Ping-Fu Hou (侯平福) and Paraguayan Ambassador to the ROC Carlos Martínez Ruiz Díaz to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Advisor Tung Kuo-yu (董國猷).