President Tsai welcomes Haitian President Jovenel Moïse with military honors
On the morning of May 29, President Tsai Ing-wen welcomed Haitian President Jovenel Moïse and Mrs. Moïse with full military honors. She thanked Haiti for supporting Taiwan's international participation, and said she hopes the two countries will continue to develop their mutually beneficial cooperative partnership. She also expressed hope that Taiwan and Haiti will continue their lasting alliance, and become bastions of mutual support as they work together for sustainable development.
The military honors ceremony got underway at 10 a.m. in the plaza fronting the Presidential Office Building. Following a 21-gun salute, playing of the two countries' national anthems, and a military review, President Tsai and President Moïse each delivered remarks.
On behalf of the people of Taiwan, President Tsai first welcomed President and Mrs. Moïse on their first state visit to Taiwan. Although it's a long way from Taiwan to Haiti, she said, both countries share a commitment to democracy and freedom, and achievements in many areas as a result of deep and long-standing cooperation.
President Tsai pointed out that Taiwan and Haiti have maintained diplomatic ties for 62 years as mutually supportive friends, and that Haiti has long supported Taiwan's international participation. At the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly in 2017, for example, President Moïse personally spoke out on Taiwan's behalf, and Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Rodrigue sent a letter this past April to the World Health Organization to express support for Taiwan.
President Tsai further stated that arrangements have been made for President Moïse to visit agricultural, electric power, and high-tech facilities over the next several days, and that she and President Moïse will exchange views on the current international situation.
President Tsai also expressed hope that this state visit by President Moïse will further enhance the existing mutually beneficial cooperative partnership so that Taiwan and Haiti become bastions of mutual support as both countries pursue sustainable development.
And finally, President Tsai wished her visitors a successful stay, and expressed hope for lasting diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Haiti.
President Moïse then delivered remarks of his own, and began by thanking President Tsai for greeting the delegation with full military honors. He then said that after returning from a visit to Taiwan, Minister Rodrigue conveyed Taiwan's willingness to assist with development in Haiti, so he decided to lead the delegation to Taiwan to discuss concrete cooperation projects. Based on the existing long-term bilateral friendship and solidarity, Haiti looks forward to enhancing relations with Taiwan, taking bilateral ties to a new level and becoming strategic partners.
President Moise pointed out that the Haitian government is pursuing a seven-point program to spur employment and economic growth. Top-priority projects include boosting private investment, modernizing agriculture, and promoting infrastructure development, all of which face daunting challenges. In the future, he said, he hopes to generate new momentum in both countries, create win-win situations, and lay a solid foundation for bilateral ties.