Taipei, March 18 (CNA) President Chen Shui-bian decorated Paraguayan Senate Speaker Juan Roque Galeano Villalba with the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon Monday in recognition of his contribution to promoting relations between the two countries.
Chen lauded Galeano as an experienced and outstanding statesman during the decoration ceremony. Since Galeano assumed his current post two years ago, Chen said, he has contributed much to the advancement in cooperation between the Republic of China and Paraguay.
The president further said he is pleased to decorate Galeano on March 18, a historic day for Taiwan. On March 18, 2000, Chen said, the people of Taiwan used "love, wisdom and ballots" to complete the ROC's first-ever peaceful, democratic transfer of power between different political parties.
Noting that the ROC and Paraguay have maintained a longstanding relationship, Chen said he looks forward to seeing bilateral cooperation in trade, technology and military expand further on the current basis.
Chen said the memorandum of understanding on bilateral strategic cooperation signed during his state visit to Paraguay last year marks yet another step forward in ROC-Paraguayan cooperation. "Under the accord, Paraguay has become the beachhead for Taiwan to tap into the South American market and Taiwan now also serves as Paraguay's springboard to Asia-Pacific market," he added.
For his part, Galeano said he feels honored to receive Chen's decoration. "The decoration symbolizes the sustainability of friendship between our two countries," he noted, adding that he will make continued efforts to help boost bilateral cooperation in the future.
Galeano, heading a Paraguayan Senate delegation, arrived in Taipei Saturday for a six-day visit.