Vice President Lai delivers remarks before departing for Paraguay
On the afternoon of August 12, Vice President Lai Ching-te delivered remarks before departing for the Republic of Paraguay to attend the inauguration of Paraguayan President Santiago Peña Palacios. The vice president said that on this trip he will convey to the people of Paraguay, on behalf of the people and government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), the warm wishes of the people of Taiwan and our high regard for our friendship. He said that we hope to further expand upon the bilateral cooperation between our two countries. During the trip, he said, he will engage with leaders from a number of countries in exchanges built on confidence, showing the world that Taiwan is committed to the universal values of freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights.
A translation of Vice President Lai's remarks follows:
Today, I will take up the role of President Tsai Ing-wen's special envoy and travel to Paraguay, a country with whom we have a 66-year friendship, to represent the Republic of China (Taiwan) at the inauguration of President Santiago Peña Palacios and Vice President Pedro Lorenzo Alliana Rodríguez of the Republic of Paraguay and convey to them the warm wishes of the people of Taiwan.
This marks the third trip since my inauguration as vice president, and my first post-pandemic. I am deeply honored with this charge and with the immense responsibility. President Tsai conveyed to me the two objectives she hopes we can accomplish through this trip. First, we hope to strengthen the friendship between Taiwan and Paraguay, and second, to expand upon our bilateral collaboration and spur prosperity for both our countries.
On this visit, I will represent President Tsai at the inauguration of the new president and express to Paraguay our high regard for our friendship. I will also be taking part in a prayer ceremony, attending a luncheon hosted by incoming President Peña and his wife, celebrating the 486th anniversary of the founding of Paraguay's capital city Asunción, and engaging in discussion with outgoing President Mario Abdo Benítez and incoming President Peña, to strengthen the ties between our countries.
Also, for several decades now, Taiwan and Paraguay have together advanced many cooperative projects, the fruitful results of which have also earned the recognition of multiple sectors of the Paraguayan public. During this trip, I hope to exchange views with the incoming Paraguayan administration, especially on the topics of education, medicine, and employment, which incoming President Peña hopes to use to beat poverty, and also areas in which Taiwan has much experience. We are willing and happy to share our experience and work together.
On this trip I will engage with leaders from a number of countries in exchanges built on confidence and speak with envoys from like-minded countries. I will show the world that Taiwan is committed to the universal values of freedom, democracy, and respect for human rights, is an active participant in global affairs, and has spared no effort in helping maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific region.
And of course, I will also show our appreciation, on behalf of President Tsai, to our Taiwanese community members. I will thank them, Taiwanese businesspeople, and our diplomatic and technical personnel living and working abroad who keep Taiwan in their hearts while being far away from home. I want to thank them all for their efforts and hard work in support of Taiwan's diplomacy.
After we wrap up this press conference, our delegation will depart for the Republic of Paraguay, with a transit stop in the US, taking with us the sincere wishes of the people of Taiwan for the newly inaugurated President Peña and the people of Paraguay.
Among those at the airport to see the vice president off were Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Andrea Clare Bowman, and Paraguayan Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Carlos Vidal Pintos.