President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of October 11 with a delegation from the Republic of Palau led by President Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. President Ma, on behalf of the government and people of the ROC, welcomed the visiting delegation and called for continued strengthening of bilateral interaction and cooperative relations.
In remarks, President Ma first congratulated President Remengesau for winning his nation's presidential election last year. This marks his third term in office, after previously winning terms in 2000 and 2008, said President Ma. He stated that his counterpart has visited Taiwan four times before as president, and has long been a staunch friend to the ROC, sparing no effort to promote the alliance. President Ma noted that President Remengesau was leading a delegation this time to take part in the 2013 Double Tenth National Day Celebration here, making this visit all the more meaningful.
President Ma said that three years ago he made state visits to six of the ROC's allies in the Pacific. Palau was the last stop on that trip, and he pointed out that Palau's dedication to conservation of its marine ecosystem made a deep impression on him. At the same time, the president said, the beauty of that nation's sea scenery lives up to its reputation. The two nations presently have scheduled flights to each other, making two-way travel extremely convenient, he said. President Ma expressed hope that the two countries will further enhance their ties in tourism and other areas to further cement their already friendly relations.
President Ma also thanked Palau for its longstanding assistance in advocating meaningful participation for Taiwan in international organizations, pointing out that President Remengesau spoke on behalf of the ROC in September of this year at the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly. President Ma stated that although the ROC has lost its representation in the United Nations (UN), the UN Charter still contains the name "Republic of China." He also noted that he had mentioned in his National Day Address that Taiwan participated at the end of September as a special guest in the 38th Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization for the first time in 42 years, making this development extremely significant. President Ma thanked a number of allies and friends for their assistance and support during his journey, adding that this also demonstrates that improved cross-strait relations help to enhance the ROC's participation in the international community.
President Ma mentioned that the ROC and Palau established formal diplomatic relations 14 years ago and over this period bilateral ties have grown steadily. The two countries maintain close cooperation in agriculture, fishing, livestock, and clean energy, he said. In addition, the ROC provides educational assistance to Palau. He pointed out that since 2008, a total of 100 students from Palau have come to Taiwan to study, which helps to train skilled talent for the ROC's ally.
The president further mentioned that the ROC is promoting a number of healthcare projects in Palau, one of which focuses on dengue fever prevention. This year, he said, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital provided assistance to Belau National Hospital to boost its ability to promote health. In addition, the Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital is promoting the Taiwan Health Cloud Service Program for Palau, thereby providing a higher level of healthcare services, he said. Meanwhile, the president stated, Taiwan's I-Shou University has inaugurated its School of Medicine for International Students, which provides a four-year English-language curriculum for students of allied nations. Two students from Palau were accepted into the program's first class, the president said. He expressed hope that even more students will study in Taiwan so Palau can have a stable supply of highly trained medical talent.
President Ma also thanked Palau's representative for frequently speaking on behalf of the ROC at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and boosting the reception and status provided to the delegation from Taiwan at the forum. The president wished Palau success in holding the PIF next year. In an effort to respond to the Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership that was made at this year's forum, the heads of state from Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia issued the 13th Micronesian Presidents' Summit Communiqué (Ernguul Communiqué) that highlighted the threat to these nations brought about by climate change. President Ma emphasized that the ROC is willing to work together with Pacific island nations in continuing to promote clean energies and other assistance projects designed to minimize the impact of climate change.
In addition to President Remengesau, the delegation included Palau Minister of State Billy Kuartei, Minister of Health Gregorio Ngirmang, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Arthur Ngiraklsong. The group was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Palau Charge d'Affaires A. I. Lila Ann Ucheliou Demei to meet President Ma. Also attending the meeting were Secretary-General to the President Timothy Chin-Tien Yang (楊進添), National Security Council Secretary-General Jason C. Yuan (袁健生), Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ting Joseph Shih (石定), and ROC Ambassador to Palau Maggie Taiching Tien (田臺清).