President Tsai meets Salvadoran Minister of Public Works Gerson Martinez
Meeting on the morning of July 31 with Salvadoran Minister of Public Works Gerson Martinez and Mrs. Martinez, President Tsai Ing-wen stated that the Taiwan government will continue working together with El Salvador to encourage corporations to further expand economic, trade, and investment cooperation by taking advantage of the Republic of China-El Salvador-Honduras Free Trade Agreement.
In remarks, President Tsai noted that Minister Martinez is an old friend of Taiwan who led a delegation to this country in 1998 in his capacity as first vice president of the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly. So she was happy to welcome Minister Martinez to Taiwan once again. The president also expressed confidence that this visit would afford her visitors a deeper understanding of current conditions in Taiwan.
President Tsai pointed out that El Salvador in recent years has actively sought to develop its infrastructure and revitalize its economy, and that Minister Martinez has played an important role in that process. Since his appointment as Minister of Public Works in 2009, the Salvadoran government has received certification for the efficiency and quality of its public works projects, and created many job opportunities. The president expressed hope that Minister Martinez would share his insights and experiences as much as possible during his visit.
The president noted that Central America is among the regions that offer the best potential for Taiwanese corporations working to build a global presence. This is why she made a point of inviting top business leaders to accompany her delegation and seek opportunities for cooperation when she visited El Salvador and some of Taiwan's other Central American diplomatic allies early this year.
President Tsai also mentioned that a company represented in her delegation on that trip had already established its branch in El Salvador, and Taiwan had organized various groups to study the investment climate and development projects in El Salvador. The Taiwan government, she said, will continue working with the government of El Salvador to encourage corporations to expand economic, trade, and investment cooperation by taking advantage of the Republic of China-El Salvador-Honduras Free Trade Agreement.
The president again thanked the Salvadoran government for its support for Taiwan. Over the years, it has staunchly supported Taiwan in our efforts to join international organizations, and this year El Salvador also spoke out in support of Taiwan at the World Health Assembly. We hope, she stated, that the two countries will continue to support each other and make more global contributions in areas such as public health, aviation safety, climate change, and the sustainable development of regional peace.
The president said that since she led a delegation to visit El Salvador early this year, Taiwan has received visits from the mayor of San Salvador, the president of the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly, the Salvadoran presidential spokesman, and now Minister Martinez. The frequency of these visits clearly demonstrates the strength of diplomatic ties between the two countries. We sincerely welcome President Sanchez Ceren to visit Taiwan, said President Tsai, who also asked Minister Martinez to personally convey her best regards and invitation to President Sanchez.
And finally, President Tsai once again welcomed Minister and Mrs. Martinez to Taiwan and expressed hope that Taiwan and El Salvador can engage in close exchanges and achieve more through a new and mutually beneficial cooperative framework.