President Ma Ying-jeou met at noon on October 10 with a delegation from the Solomon Islands led by Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo and Mrs. Lilo. The president, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC, welcomed the delegation and called for continued strengthening of interaction and cooperation between the two countries.
In remarks, President Ma first stated that this marks Prime Minister Lilo's second visit to Taiwan since taking office last year. The president said that the Solomon Islands has experienced rapid growth under the outstanding leadership of Prime Minister Lilo, adding that the South Pacific island nation is maximizing its influence in Pacific affairs. He pointed out that he saw first-hand the vibrancy of that nation on a memorable trip there in March 2010.
President Ma mentioned that before arriving in Taiwan, Prime Minister Lilo attended the Informal Conversation with Guests of the APEC Chair, which was held in conjunction with the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. The president said that the invitation extended to Prime Minister Lilo to attend the event also shows that the region is paying close attention to the Solomon Islands.
President Ma noted that the ROC and the Solomon Islands established formal diplomatic ties in 1983, and the two sides have achieved considerable successes in cooperation in the areas of technology, health care and medicine, education, and infrastructure. For instance, the president said, in the area of agriculture, the ROC has provided assistance in the cultivation of rice, fruit, and livestock, and provided training in basic food processing techniques. As for health care, the ROC has assisted in the construction of the Central Hospital, he said. In addition, the president pointed out, each year the ROC dispatches mobile medical missions to provide free clinical services, and also donates medical equipment and medicines. President Ma mentioned that in October 2007 the ROC established the Taiwan Health Center in that nation, which is staffed by medical personnel dispatched to the Solomon Islands from Taiwan. Bilateral cooperative relations thus continue to be quite close, he commented.
President Ma further stated that the ROC has also assisted the Solomon Islands in promoting a number of solar power projects. He cited several examples, such as the installation of solar power generation systems at the prime minister's office building and the national parliament building. In addition, Taiwan has donated portable solar-powered lamps to schoolchildren in the Solomon Islands under the "Light from Taiwan" project, he said. These initiatives have created outstanding models for bilateral cooperation, he added.
In the areas of culture and education, the president stated, the ROC has run a number of workshops to train public servants in the Solomon Islands. The ROC also provides scholarships for outstanding students to study in Taiwan, he said. President Ma pointed out that a student from the Solomon Islands earned a Ph.D. degree here in 2011, the first for a student from that nation. Meanwhile, two students from the Solomon Islands have earned master's degrees in Taiwan. The president called for further strengthening of cultural ties.
President Ma told the visitors that in July of this year the ROC dispatched a Chinese language instructor to teach at Solomon Islands National University. He said he has learned that officials from that nation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and teachers at the university have shown a keen interest in learning Chinese. In addition, he noted, the ROC since 2008 has carried out an educational assistance program for the Solomon Islands. To date, the ROC has provided a total of roughly US$20 million, and some 2,000 students in the Solomon Islands have benefited from the education assistance. In the future, he said, the ROC will continue, under the bilateral cooperation framework, to provide assistance in the development of higher education in the Solomon Islands to cultivate highly skilled individuals.
The president also commented that Taiwan's I-Shou University recently inaugurated its School of Medicine for International Students, where a four-year English-language curriculum assists in the cultivation of the medical talent required by the ROC's allies, he said. President Ma mentioned that three students from the Solomon Islands have been accepted into the program and have begun coursework. The president expressed hope that upon the completion of their studies here, the students will return to their home nations and contribute to national development and public wellbeing.
President Ma also noted that recently an outbreak of dengue fever has spread through the Solomon Islands. He stated that the ROC government has already procured medicines and medical equipment to combat the outbreak, and that the goods are slated to arrive in the Solomon Islands towards the end of this month. This should help the Solomon Islands fight the outbreak and achieve better success in prevention, he said. In addition, the president mentioned, Kaohsiung Medical University's Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital in June of this year sent personnel to the Solomon Islands to carry out a pilot survey on the dengue fever outbreak there. The results of the survey are expected to help control the outbreak, he said.
The president emphasized that since taking office in 2008, his administration has embraced the principles of transparency, accountability, and good governance in promoting the "ROC Support to Constituency Development Program." By making proper and effective use of funds to assist in the development of the Solomon Islands, this program alleviates skepticism about the proper use of these funds, while enhancing the wellbeing of the public and improving the quality of life, he said.
President Ma also specially expressed his appreciation to Solomon Islands Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Maelanga for speaking on behalf of the ROC at the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly, supporting meaningful participation for Taiwan in United Nations-affiliated organizations. The president noted that the Solomon Islands has spoken up for Taiwan in a variety of international venues. He concluded his remarks by expressing hope that the two countries will continue to strengthen interaction and cooperation, thereby further solidifying their alliance.
In addition to Prime Minister and Mrs. Lilo, the delegation included Solomon Islands Minister for Agriculture and Livestock David Tome, Minister for Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration Elijah Doro Muala, Minister of Forestry Dickson Mua Panakitasi, Members of Parliament Namson Tran and Vika Lusibaea, and Solomon Islands Ambassador to the ROC Laurie Chan and Mrs. Chan. The delegation was escorted to the Presidential Office by ROC Ambassador to the Solomon Islands Roy Wu (烏元彥) and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ting Joseph Shih (石定) to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting was National Security Council Secretary-General Jason C. Yuan (袁健生).