Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

President Ma Ying-jeou met on the afternoon of February 11 with Marco Hernandez, chief political advisor to and brother of the President of Honduras, and Mrs. Hernandez. Besides welcoming Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez to the ROC, the president also expressed his desire for continued strengthening of cooperation and a long-lasting alliance between the two countries.

In remarks, President Ma stated that Mr. Hernandez has served three consecutive terms in the National Congress of Honduras since the 1980s, and during that time held important posts such as secretary general and first vice-president in the National Congress. Mr. Hernandez has an enormous amount of experience and influence in the political arena, the president said.

President Ma pointed out that he has visited Honduras three times, including a trip there in August 2000 in his capacity as Taipei City mayor, and visits in January 2010 and 2014 in his role as ROC president to attend the inauguration ceremonies of former Honduran President Porfirio Lobo Sosa and current President Juan Orlando Hernandez. President Ma said he witnessed the increasingly democratic politics of that nation and the dedication of the Honduran government to national development.

President Ma mentioned that he had opportunities to meet with President Hernandez both during his visit to Honduras in January last year and also when he visited Panama in July to attend the inauguration of Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela. The two leaders exchanged opinions on a variety of matters, including trade and economic relations, as well as cooperation in agriculture and security. The president stated that President Hernandez has made every effort to promote reform since taking office last year and that he has been successful on many fronts in his administrative agenda. Mexican private consulting firm Consulta Mitofsky in October last year released the results of a public opinion survey directed at the performance of Latin American heads of state that placed President Hernandez in the Top 5, showing that the Honduran public and international community are recognizing his leadership abilities.

President Ma said that the ROC and Honduras have maintained close cooperation throughout the course of their diplomatic alliance. The ROC each year provides scholarships to over 30 outstanding Honduran students under the Taiwan Scholarship Program, which assists those individuals in pursuing advanced studies and earning degrees in Taiwan. It is hoped that these students will contribute what they have learned to their nation once they return home.

The president also expressed his gratitude to the Honduran government for speaking on behalf of the ROC in many international venues over the years and supporting participation for the ROC in the International Civil Aviation Organization, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the World Health Assembly. President Ma said he is deeply touched by this gesture of friendship by the ROC's diplomatic partner.

Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez were accompanied to the Presidential Office by Republic of Honduras Ambassador to the ROC Rafael Fernando Sierra Quesada.