Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

At 7:30 p.m. on June 29 local time (7:30 a.m. June 30 Taipei time), President Tsai Ing-wen attended a performance by Taiwan's Chai Found Music Workshop at the Convention Hall of the Central Bank of Paraguay, after which she hosted a reception to thank Paraguay President Horacio Cartes and the government and people of Paraguay for their warm hospitality.

In remarks delivered at the reception, President Tsai said that she was visiting Paraguay for the first time, and that this was her first overseas trip since taking office, so she was very happy to be able to observe first-hand the political and economic developments in Paraguay, and to promote increased interaction between the two countries. President Tsai noted that President Cartes had just visited Taiwan this past May, and that she exchanged views with him at that time on bilateral interaction and exchanges of shared interest. With this trip to Paraguay, the two presidents were able to continue their discussion in further depth, and this will certainly be helpful for future exchanges between the two countries, she said.

President Tsai stated that she was also very grateful to President Cartes for conferring upon her the Marshal Francisco Solano Lopez Honor Medal, and added: "This honor is conferred not just upon me, but is shared by all the people of Taiwan."

President Tsai remarked that during the past few days in Paraguay she has fully experienced the warmth of Latin America. Taiwan and Paraguay are located far from each other, but they share the same beliefs and goals, and both hope to bring their people better lives. In the future, she said, Taiwan will continue to cooperate closely with Paraguay in the international community, and will move forward hand-in-hand with Paraguay on the basis of a common commitment to democracy and peace, and a shared pursuit of freedom and justice.

President Tsai noted that President Cartes has pushed a series of reforms since taking office, and measures to achieve governmental transparency and benefit the people have brought significant results. At the same time, she said, President Cartes has promoted tax reforms and new administrative reform legislation that have proven very successful. Paraguay achieved stellar economic growth last year, and has excellent potential for further development. In addition to the industry leaders in the current delegation, Taiwan is also working to ensure that more Taiwanese firms have a good understanding of the investment climate in Paraguay in hopes of spurring increased economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

President Tsai stressed that the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of China and Paraguay is coming up next July (2017), and said she feels confident that as long as the two countries build upon their already strong foundation of friendship and continue to work together, the bilateral cooperative relationship will further expand and exchanges will become even closer.

In addition to Paraguayan Vice President Juan Eudes Afara Maciel, also present at the reception were Taiwan's National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Minister of Foreign Affairs David T. Lee (李大維), and Ambassador to Paraguay Alexander Tah-Ray Yui (俞大㵢).