Vice President Lai attends baseball equipment donation ceremony
On the morning of November 3 (Taipei time), Vice President Lai Ching-te attended a ceremony marking the donation of baseball supplies at the Asahi Baseball Field in Palau. The vice president expressed hope that in the future Taiwan and Palau will cooperate more closely in baseball, so that the sport will not only connect our peoples, but also become a dream for young people to pursue.
Vice President Lai remarked that baseball is the national sport of both the Republic of Palau and the Republic of China (Taiwan), and said that he is pleased to join President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. of Palau and the members of the delegation to witness this historic moment for our two countries' cooperation in baseball.
The vice president thanked Managing Director Huang Ssu-chieh (黃思傑) of the Taiwan International Baseball Interchange Development Association (TIBIDA) for his contributions to baseball exchange between our countries, and the Taiwanese baseball stars Hu Chin-lung (胡金龍) and Chen Yung-chi (陳鏞基) for helping realize this exchange. The vice president also congratulated Palauan baseball player Bligh Madris for making his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut, saying that this baseball hero will surely become an example for young Palauans to follow, leading many of them into the MLB, just as other baseball players have done for young Taiwanese in the past.
Vice President Lai pointed out that this event shows how in addition to both being island countries that both enjoy democracy, freedom, and human rights, Taiwan and Palau share a common pastime in baseball. Managing Director Huang has in the past led a Taiwanese baseball team to compete in Palau and welcomed a Palauan team to Taiwan for an international competition. The vice president expressed hope for more frequent exchanges like this in the future to further deepen our two countries' cooperation in baseball, adding that he hopes baseball will help connect our peoples, and provide a dream for young people to pursue.
At the donation ceremony following Vice President Lai's remarks, Managing Director Huang, and professional baseball players Hu and Chen handed over baseball supplies to President of the Palau Major League (PML) Mlib Tmetuchl.
Vice President Lai and President Whipps then stepped onto the field to throw pitches to Managing Director Huang and PML President Tmetuchl at home plate, after which players Hu and Chen threw pitches to Palauan high school baseball players in a reflection of the close cooperation between Taiwan and Palau.
Also in attendance at the ceremony were Palau Minister of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism and Development Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl and Taiwan's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang (田中光), Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang (石崇良), and Ambassador to Palau Jessica C. Lee (黎倩儀).