President Tsai meets delegation led by Palau House of Delegates Speaker Sabino Anastacio
On the morning of November 21, while meeting with a delegation led by Palau House of Delegates Speaker Sabino Anastacio, President Tsai Ing-wen said Taiwan hopes to continue cooperating with Palau to spur sustainable development in both countries and contribute more to the world.
In remarks, President Tsai noted that Mr. Anastacio came to Taiwan in June 2016 with a cultural delegation that performed in Kaohsiung City and elsewhere, and the government and people of Taiwan are very happy to welcome him back this year as the head of another delegation.
The president pointed out that Mr. Anastacio is a key player in Taiwan-Palau relations who, in his former position as Minister of State, supported Taiwan and signed the joint declaration of diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Speaking at his inauguration and the United Nations General Assembly this year, Palau President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. has also lauded Taiwan as an important partner in Palau's developmental efforts. In addition to extending her sincere gratitude, President Tsai also expressed hope that the two countries will have more opportunities for cooperation and exchanges in the future.
President Tsai noted that Palau is rich in touristic resources, and a diplomatic ally that hosts many tourists from Taiwan. Beginning next year, the number of direct flights between Taiwan and Palau is set to increase, which will make travel more convenient. The two countries have also engaged in two-way medical cooperation for many years. In addition to healthcare professionals from Taiwan working in Palau, citizens of Palau have made some 500 trips to Taiwan each year to receive medical treatment. And just this past June, two students from Palau graduated from the School of Medicine for International Students at Taiwan's I-Shou University. They have since returned to Palau to take up internships there. "These are all concrete successes achieved through bilateral cooperation," said the president.
President Tsai stressed that Taiwan is actively promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and Palau Minister of Health Emais Roberts put forward many valuable suggestions at last month's 2017 Global Health Forum in Taiwan. So we hope, said the president, to continue cooperating with Palau to spur sustainable development in both countries, and contribute more to the world.
The Palau delegation also included House of Delegates Vice Speaker Lucio Ngiraiwet.