President Tsai meets ministry-level delegation from St. Vincent and the Grenadines
On the morning of May 4, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation from St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) led by Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar and Minister of Economic Planning Camillo Gonsalves. The president noted that the two countries have made many great achievements through bilateral cooperation projects since establishing diplomatic ties, and expressed hope that SVG will continue lending its support so that Taiwan can make more contributions to the world in such areas as public health, aviation safety, and regional peace.
In remarks, President Tsai noted that SVG Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sir Louis Straker and Mrs. Straker attended her inauguration ceremony on May 20 last year, and then in October of the same year SVG Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves and Mrs. Gonsalves came to Taiwan to attend National Day festivities here. The fact that the two important young SVG leaders have come here together this time as the head of a delegation clearly shows the solidity of the bilateral friendship, she said.
The president pointed out that since Taiwan and SVG established diplomatic ties in 1981, we have carried out bilateral cooperation projects to promote comprehensive social development in SVG, and significant successes have been achieved. In the field of agriculture, for example, it was once necessary for SVG to import pork from abroad, but since the two countries carried out a cooperative hog raising project, pork production in SVG has jumped sharply and the country is now able to provide for its own needs.
President Tsai mentioned that Argyle International Airport, which just commenced operations this past February, was the most important infrastructure project in SVG history, and Taiwan was honored to take part in the project along with more than 10 other countries. The president extended congratulations on the completion and opening of the airport, extended best wishes for the airport's success, and expressed hope that it will spur growth in the local tourism industry.
The president further stated that in addition to spurring development of the SVG tourism industry, the opening of Argyle International Airport will also boost economic growth by bringing in increased foreign direct investment. Taiwan intends to take advantage of the coming economic boom in SVG by encouraging Taiwanese firms to invest there. This is one way to implement the government's "steadfast diplomacy" and build up a new mode of mutually beneficial cooperative relationship between the two countries.
President Tsai also expressed appreciation to the SVG government for its staunch support for Taiwan's participation in international affairs, and specially mentioned Prime Minister Gonsalves, who personally delivered a speech last September in support of Taiwan at the United Nations General Assembly. The president expressed hope that SVG will continue lending its support so that Taiwan can contribute more to the world by sharing with the international community the progress it has achieved in such fields as public health, healthcare, aviation safety, and regional peace.