President Tsai meets with visiting delegation of UN ambassadors from allied nations
On the afternoon of October 25, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation of permanent representatives to the United Nations (UN) from the ROC's diplomatic allies. She thanked them for supporting Taiwan in its quest to participate in international affairs, and reiterated that the new administration—acting in line with the principle of "steadfast diplomacy and mutual assistance for mutual benefits," while remaining unwavering and firm in purpose—will build sincere friendships with countries around the world.
In remarks, President Tsai noted that Taiwan, in its effort to achieve participation in the work of UN-affiliated organizations, has always adopted a pragmatic, proactive attitude toward participation in international bodies, focusing on the substantive aspects. On important issues of global concern, Taiwan is both able and keenly willing to engage in dialogue and communication with all parties around the world that have a stake, and to make meaningful contributions.
President Tsai also mentioned that in seeking participation in the UN system, Taiwan has to overcome many difficulties. However, our diplomatic allies have actively advocated on Taiwan's behalf at UN venues, and have spoken in our defense at many UN conferences. This past September, for example, during the 71st session of the UN General Assembly, 16 of Taiwan's diplomatic allies sent a joint letter or individual letters to the UN Secretary General, and 13 of our diplomatic allies spoke up on Taiwan's behalf at the UN General Debate, in all these instances expressing support for Taiwan's right to take part in the activities of UN specialized agencies. We are grateful for this friendship, and firmly believe that such efforts will help the UN community become aware of and understand the wish of Taiwan's 23 million people to take part in international affairs.
Noting that although we did not get the result we wanted with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly, which just came to a close in early October, President Tsai nevertheless stated that we can indeed sense that the international community is now more supportive of Taiwan than it used to be. Diplomatic allies, for example, sent a joint letter to the ICAO on Taiwan's behalf, and there was a chorus of calls within the international community in support of our participation in the ICAO. Only by allowing Taiwan to take part, said the president, will it be possible to truly implement the ICAO's "No Country Left Behind" initiative and the "One Sky" concept.
Commenting on Taiwan's conduct of external relations, President Tsai stated that the new administration—acting in line with the principle of "steadfast diplomacy and mutual assistance for mutual benefits," while remaining unwavering and firm in purpose—will build sincere friendships with countries around the world. And we also hope by doing so, stated the president, to further expand Taiwan's links with the rest of the world, and to build up mutually beneficial relations. Taiwan attaches great importance to the question of how to develop interdependent relationships with other countries. "Wherever there is an opportunity for complementarity," she said, "we will certainly develop it."
President Tsai stressed that Taiwan will continue working—by means of official interaction, corporate investments, and cooperation among private entities—to enhance cooperative relations with diplomatic allies in such areas as economic ties, investment, education, culture, agricultural technology, disaster preparedness, and healthcare. The objective is to create win-win relationships with diplomatic allies.
Included in the delegation were: Ambassador Aunese Makoi Simati, Permanent Representative of Tuvalu to the UN; Ambassador Amatlain Elizabeth Kabua, Permanent Representative of the Marshall Islands to the UN; Ambassador Sam Condor, Permanent Representative of St. Christopher and Nevis to the UN; Ambassador Eric Tiare, Deputy Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso to the UN; Minister Marcelo Scappini, Charge d'Affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Paraguay to the UN; and Ambassador Hector Alejandro Palma-Cerna, Deputy Permanent Representative of Honduras to the UN.