Upon completing his visit to the Caribbean states of St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, President Ma Ying-jeou and his delegation arrived at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport in St. Christopher and Nevis at 10:40 a.m. local time on August 18 (10:40 p.m. on August 18 Taipei time).
After the president's plane came to a halt, ROC Ambassador to St. Christopher and Nevis Miguel Tsao (曹立傑), St. Christopher and Nevis's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Elvis Newton, and St. Christopher and Nevis Ambassador to the ROC Jasmine Elise Huggins boarded the plane to welcome President Ma. St. Christopher and Nevis Prime Minister Denzil Douglas and Foreign Affairs Minister Patrice Nisbett were waiting at the stairs to the plane to welcome the president on his disembarkation.
President Ma reviewed the nation's color guard, after which he delivered remarks. He stated he is delighted to have been invited to visit St. Christopher and Nevis, which is known for its kind people and its beautiful scenery. In addition, the nation has been selected by a renowned magazine as one of the world's top ten places that one must visit. The president expressed hope that he will be able to take in as much as the nation's scenery as possible during his stop there.
The president further stated that St. Christopher and Nevis is an important ally of the ROC and that the two nations for many years have maintained close cooperation in the fields of tourism, green energy, agriculture, human resources, education, and culture. These projects have yielded considerable results, he said, further expressing his hopes that this visit will continue to expand and add greater depth to the cooperative relationship between the two countries.
At the noon hour, President Ma was invited to attend a luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Douglas. Prior to the meal, ROC Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y. L. Lin (林永樂) and St. Christopher and Nevis Foreign Affairs Minister Nisbett signed a bilateral extradition treaty. Upon the completion of the signing, the president stated that this treaty is the first one signed between the two countries since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations 30 years ago. It is also the 11th extradition treaty that the ROC government has signed, he said, adding that he is confident that this will assist in the joint combating of crime and the upholding of justice.
With respect to the cooperative projects between the two countries on the development of green energy, President Ma noted, the ROC government at the end of 2011 assisted St. Christopher and Nevis in installing solar panels on the roof of its government building. In addition, last year the ROC helped to carry out the first stage of a project to replace traditional street lights with LED lamps, and the second stage of the project to construct solar-powered street lamps, said the president. In March of this year, he added, the two countries began their joint construction of a 750,000-watt solar power generation facility.
President Ma mentioned that after leaving the airport for his hotel, he specially asked Prime Minister Douglas about the price of energy there. The president said that he learned that each kilowatt hour is priced at 40 US cents (about NT$12), which is higher than the other allies he has visited on this trip, namely Paraguay, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He expressed hope that the two countries will continue their cooperation in solar power and renewable energies in an effort to reduce energy costs in St. Christopher and Nevis.
Lastly, the president expressed his appreciation to St. Christopher and Nevis for its longstanding staunch support for meaningful participation for the ROC in international organizations. He then raised his glass to wish good fortune for both countries and an everlasting alliance.
In the afternoon, Prime Minister Douglas accompanied President Ma and his delegation to a new tourist demonstration farm and listened to a briefing on the achievements of cooperation projects between the two countries. The president, after finishing watching a 3D film about what the farm will look like upon its completion, stated that he realized the enormous potential of this farm construction project, which will feature the largest greenhouse in the Caribbean. He noted that visitors to St. Christopher and Nevis in the future will be able to board a train directly from the airport to the farm, which is sure to spark tourism-related business opportunities.
President Ma stated that farm production and the process of tending to crops all have tourism value, pointing out that tourist farms in Taiwan are becoming increasingly popular destinations. He said that he is particularly pleased to see that St. Christopher and Nevis is also working to further promote this concept. As for the timeframe to complete this project, the president commented, the first stage construction commenced on January 31 of last year and to this point the large greenhouse has been completed, along with an octagonal garden and the planting of tropical fruit trees. President Ma also mentioned that 20 solar-powered street lamps have been erected around the facility, and that the second stage part of construction is expected to be completed this year. In this stage, other hardware facilities such as a tourist center, a tea house, a parking lot, and an entry arch will be constructed. It is expected that all of the hardware facilities will be completed in 2014, he said.
President Ma mentioned that Mr. Gao Xian-de (高賢德), a member of an indigenous tribe who comes from the Alishan area of Taiwan, has played an instrumental role in the construction of this large-sized greenhouse. In the course of building the structure, Mr. Gao led a group of local workers in erecting the greenhouse, who were not familiar with related building methods. Ultimately, the construction of the greenhouse was completed, which was quite a feat, the president said, adding that in the future perhaps a film to document this achievement could also be made. President Ma expressed that this greenhouse is a symbol of the friendship and alliance between the ROC and St. Christopher and Nevis. He said he hopes that the ROC's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ROC embassy there, and the TaiwanICDF will assist in this initiative to ensure its speedy completion. This would enable the new tourist demonstration farm to become increasingly prominent in St. Christopher and Nevis, and put on display to the world the results of cooperation between the two countries, he remarked.
After completing his visit to the tourist farm, the president and his delegation then headed to Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, which has been designated a World Heritage Site of historical, cultural and architectural significance by UNESCO. After arriving at the site, President Ma was treated to show of song and dance from the local community. He was then led on a tour of the area by Cameron Gill, the general manager of the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park Society. The president climbed the ancient fortress to see the beauty of the mountains and ocean as far as the eyes could see.
In the evening, President Ma attended a state dinner at the official residence of the governor general hosted by St. Christopher and Nevis Governor General Edmund W. Lawrence and Mrs. Lawrence. In remarks, the president provided the other guests in attendance a brief description of what he had done and experienced during the day.
President Ma mentioned that prior to serving in his current position, Governor General Lawrence was a well-known banker and has earned the respect of the public. Meanwhile, his wife, Hulda M. Lawrence, is a renowned musician and educator. Her talents span many fields and she previously has composed many popular songs for her country, including one song -- Our Beautiful Nation. The president also expressed his admiration for Governor General Lawrence and Mrs. Lawrence who have six children, all with doctorate degrees.
President Ma stated that he deeply appreciates Governor General Lawrence for the hospitality and warm reception that he and his delegation have received on this visit to St. Christopher and Nevis. He also expressed hope that the two countries in the future will continue to provide mutual assistance and engage in cooperation, enabling the alliance to move further ahead.
After the banquet, President Ma returned to his hotel and held a reception for members of the media that have accompanied him on this trip. In remarks, he stated that since departing from Taiwan on August 11, this trip has gone extremely smoothly. He said that the friendliness and hospitality extended to him by many of the leaders in these allied nations has been far beyond what he expected. The president pointed out that while he was on his transit stop in New York City, he spoke over the phone with a number of American senior political figures and sensed that they are very supportive of many of the ROC's initiatives. President Ma commented that he was very pleased by this. In addition, the president acknowledged, the ROC faces a number of steep challenges, but its diplomatic partners still have expectations of the ROC. For instance, the government of Haiti has invited Taiwan to invest in its tourism industry and that the government of Paraguay hopes to cooperate with the ROC in the development of hydro resources. These are just some of the areas in which strengthened cooperation could be seen in the future, he said.
President Ma stressed that in an effort to realize the objective of the ROC's "viable diplomacy" policy, we must work to maintain and strengthen our international relationships. He pointed out that since taking office in 2008, he has visited 22 of the ROC's diplomatic allies and if he has the opportunity in the future he would like to visit the remaining one (i.e. Sao Tome and Principe in West Africa). At the same time, the president said, the ROC also desires to strengthen its relations with nations with which it does not maintain formal diplomatic ties. He mentioned that the world situation continues to change and that while many of these countries have their own considerations, the ROC can still pursue forging a foundation to enhance cooperation with them.
Upon completing his remarks, the president then exchanged opinions with members of the media on issues of concern recently in Taiwan, such as the approach of Typhoon Trami, the Dapu protest, the adjustment of electricity prices, the foreign policy, and the referendum on whether to halt construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant.