Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

President Tsai Ing-wen accepted the credentials of Jarden Kephas, the new Republic of Nauru Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Taiwan, on the morning of September 9. The president welcomed Ambassador Kephas to his new post in Taiwan, and said she looks forward to working closely with him to open up new areas for cooperation between Taiwan and Nauru and further strengthen our diplomatic partnership.

A translation of the president's remarks follows:

I would like to congratulate Ambassador Kephas on being appointed by the government of Nauru to serve as Ambassador to Taiwan. Last month, Nauru completed parliamentary elections, and a new president was selected as well, opening a new chapter in your national history. With your arrival in Taiwan, Ambassador Kephas, and through our joint efforts, I am sure that relations between our countries will continue to grow. A very warm welcome to you, indeed.

The Republic of China (Taiwan) and Nauru are both maritime nations, as well as close diplomatic allies. Over the past three years, we have forged stronger cooperation and exchanges in all domains, including healthcare, agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries, and clean energy. During my state visit to Nauru in March this year, I had the opportunity to observe firsthand the success of our bilateral cooperation.

And we are continuing efforts to bolster cooperation. Just last month, a fact-finding mission from Taiwan visited Nauru to explore trade opportunities. And this month, an official delegation of agricultural and port authorities will travel to Nauru to better understand the potential collaboration in related industries.

In the international arena, Nauru has always demonstrated tremendous friendship to Taiwan. I want to thank Nauru for its longstanding support for Taiwan's international participation. I am confident that our countries will work together to make even greater contributions to the world.

In closing, let me once again welcome Ambassador Kephas to Taiwan. We will adhere to the spirit of "steadfast diplomacy and mutual assistance for mutual benefits," sharing our experience with Nauru to jointly advance prosperity. We look forward to working closely with you to open up new areas for bilateral cooperation and to further strengthen our diplomatic partnership.