President Tsai welcomes Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare with full military honors
On the morning of September 26, President Tsai Ing-wen welcomed Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Mrs. Sogavare with full military honors. In addition to thanking the Solomon Islands for strongly supporting Taiwan's participation in various international bodies, the president also expressed hope that Taiwan and the Solomon Islands will further expand bilateral exchanges across the board and create mutually beneficial cooperative relations.
The military honors ceremony got underway at 10 a.m. in the Main Plaza of the National Performing Arts Center. Following a 19-gun salute and performance of the two countries' national anthems, President Tsai and Prime Minister Sogavare each delivered remarks.
In her remarks, on behalf of the government and people of the Republic of China, President Tsai warmly welcomed Prime Minister and Mrs. Sogavare as well as the other members of their delegation, and stated that Prime Minister Sogavare is a good friend of Taiwan who has visited many times. Under his leadership over these many years, she added, friendly relations between Taiwan and the Solomon Islands have continually improved, and the two countries have supported each other in the international community.
By exchanging views and seeing things first hand, said President Tsai, Prime Minister and Mrs. Sogavare will better understand the current state of Taiwan's development, and she voiced hope that Taiwan and the Solomon Islands will further expand exchanges across the board and create mutually beneficial cooperative relations to further enhance bilateral ties.
Shortly after the welcome ceremony, President Tsai held talks with Prime Minister Sogavare at the Presidential Office, and the president noted that when she met with the prime minister in July 2016, he mentioned many events in the history of the two countries' diplomatic relationship, and discussed some of the successes that have resulted from their cooperation. The president added that she was delighted to play host once again at the Presidential Office to Prime Minister and Mrs. Sogavare as well as the other delegation members, and expressed hope for further exchanges.
President Tsai pointed out that the Solomon Islands has always been Taiwan's firm ally, and Prime Minister Sogavare spoke out in support of Taiwan's international participation just last week at the United Nations General Assembly, where he specially emphasized that Taiwan should not be excluded from the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, nor should the 23 million people of Taiwan be left behind. The president specially thanked Prime Minister Sogavare for his strong support for Taiwan, and stressed that Taiwan stands willing and able to participate more fully, and make more contributions to promoting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
President Tsai stated that over the past year and more, cooperative relations between Taiwan and the Solomon Islands have steadily progressed. A Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Meteorology and an Air Services Agreement have been signed, and the previous day, Prime Minister Sogavare and Taiwan's Minister of Foreign Affairs David T. Lee (李大維) stood witness as Kaohsiung Harbor and the Port of Honiara (capital city of the Solomon Islands) formally signed a sister port agreement.
President Tsai stated that these successes do more than just improve bilateral relations, opening a new era in the cooperative relationship. In the future, she said, we will continue to work together with the Solomon Islands to enhance exchanges and long-term development in such fields as meteorological cooperation, clean energy, and talent cultivation.
President Tsai pointed out that Prime Minister Sogavare during his last visit to Taiwan mentioned that Taiwan lent its full and unremitting support when the Solomon Islands experienced difficulties in 2000. She then said that Taiwan and the Solomon Islands, in addition to being good and mutually supportive friends, also intend to work together as partners for the well-being of the peoples of both countries. "We have been through hard times together in the past, and will continue to stand by each other in the future," said the president, who added that Prime Minister Sogavare is welcome to come back to Taiwan often, and work together to develop the two countries to achieve even greater accomplishments.
In remarks of his own, Prime Minister Sogavare stated that this was his fifth visit to Taiwan, and he intends to come back more often. He thanked the government of Taiwan for its warm hospitality, especially the full military honors accorded to his delegation. He also said that he highly values relations with Taiwan.
Prime Minister Sogavare stated that next year will mark 40 years of official diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Solomon Islands, and that the two countries have a shared commitment to human rights and indigenous rights. Those are also the founding principles of the United Nations and universally accepted values throughout the world. The prime minister then spoke highly of the exchanges between Taiwan and the Solomon Islands in such fields as air services, tourism, and meteorological technology. In addition to thanking Taiwan for lending assistance, he also expressed hope that more countries, including Taiwan, will invest in the Solomon Islands.