Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of December 1 at the Presidential Office Building, President Tsai Ing-wen received the credentials of the new Solomon Islands Ambassador to the ROC Joseph Pius Waleanisia. The president expressed hope for continued strengthening of cooperation and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

In remarks, President Tsai noted that Ambassador Waleanisia is a distinguished Solomons government official who, besides having served in such key positions as Secretary to the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, has also acted as the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) Deputy Special Coordinator and the United Nations Development Programme Officer-in-Charge in Solomon Islands. He thus has a wide range of experience, and is recognized for his outstanding performance in all the positions he has held. The president said she is more than confident that Ambassador Waleanisia will be able to make use of his special strengths to enhance diplomatic ties between Taiwan and the Solomon Islands.

President Tsai pointed out that Taiwan and the Solomon Islands have maintained a firm friendship for 33 years. Bilateral relations and cooperation are very close, and cooperative projects continue to progress very smoothly. In the field of agricultural technology, the two countries have achieved big success, for example, with their Hog-Raising Project, Horticulture Project, and Agriculture Integrated Development Project.

Commenting on fisheries cooperation, President Tsai noted that Taiwan and the Solomon Islands have signed a fisheries cooperation agreement which is spurring increased investment, research, development, and training by the two countries in marine aquaculture. Also, the two sides are cooperating on fisheries conservation and management, taking concrete steps in response to demands from the European Union for interdiction of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. In addition, the two countries maintain close cooperation in such areas as clean energy, healthcare, and personnel training, and the results have been significant.

The president stressed that Taiwan and the Solomon Islands have, through working hand-in-hand, built a solid foundation for bilateral diplomatic relations, and she expressed hope that the two countries can continue acting in the spirit of "mutual assistance for mutual benefits" to promote more substantive cooperation projects, thereby enhancing their friendship.