President Tsai meets participants in international training course organized by Ministry of National Defense
President Tsai Ing-wen met with the participants in the 14th session of an international training course organized by Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense for senior military officers from allies in Latin America on the morning of October 17. She stated that Taiwan, as a member of the international community, is taking concrete steps to engage in exchanges with other countries despite China's pressure. We want the world to know that Taiwan is absolutely able and willing to do its part. She expressed hope that after the participants return home they will use their positive influence to encourage their countries to cooperate more closely with Taiwan, to help Taiwan participate in international organizations and achieve sustainable development throughout the world.
A translation of the president's remarks follows:
On behalf of the people and armed forces of the Republic of China, I would like to welcome all of the trainees who have traveled from Central and South America to be with us.
In your home countries, you are senior military and police officials, or high-ranking civil servants. We are happy that we are able to use this training course system to periodically invite outstanding people such as yourselves to come to Taiwan to interact with peers and colleagues while attending officer training programs and studying military strategy.
Over the past three years, Taiwan has engaged in close exchanges with nations across Latin America, and I myself have visited our diplomatic allies there on several occasions to learn about the cooperative projects our technical missions are engaged in. In the course of those visits, I have also seen many successes that Taiwanese expatriates have achieved overseas. This shows that through both public- and private-sector exchanges, Taiwan has established deep friendships with all of your countries.
As the times move forward, countries around the world find themselves facing a growing number of challenges. Taiwan, as a member of the international community, is taking concrete steps to engage in exchanges with other countries despite China's ongoing efforts to pressure us off the international stage. In the agricultural and fisheries sectors, and in the area of medical technologies, we want the world to know that Taiwan is absolutely willing and able to do its part.
On behalf of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I want to take this opportunity to thank each of your countries. Not only have you cooperated with Taiwan in carrying out military training, education and cultural projects, and infrastructure development initiatives, but beyond that, you have also supported Taiwan staunchly on the international stage for many years. After you return home, I ask that each of you convey my warmest greetings and gratitude to your respective heads of state.
I understand that most of you are first-time visitors to Taiwan. All the courses and activities that you have taken part in have been arranged with the utmost care, and I trust that your experiences over the past few weeks have given you a better understanding of our culture. I am also confident that your remaining time here will prove very rewarding.
In closing, I want to wish each of you a smooth and successful remainder of your stay. I sincerely hope that after you return home, you can use your positive influence to promote our official diplomatic relations so that we can cooperate more closely, and help Taiwan participate in international organizations, so that we can work together to achieve sustainable development throughout the world.