President Tsai meets Singapore delegation to presidential inauguration
On the afternoon of May 19, President Tsai Ing-wen met with a delegation from Singapore to attend the inauguration of the 16th-term president and vice president. In remarks, President Tsai stated that bilateral trade between Taiwan and Singapore exceeded US$39 billion last year, and Taiwan became Singapore’s fourth-largest trading partner. The president expressed hope that the Parliament of Singapore will broaden cooperation with Taiwan’s new government, and that Singapore will support Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which will create more opportunities in employment and trade for both sides and allow us to jointly contribute to regional prosperity and development.
A translation of President Tsai’s remarks follows:
I would like to welcome former Speaker Abdullah Tarmugi, who is once again leading a delegation to Taiwan. I also welcome Members of Parliament Sitoh Yih Pin and Yeo Wan Ling, both visiting Taiwan for the first time.
Over the past several years, Taiwan and Singapore have enjoyed close interactions and cooperation across the areas of the economy, culture, education, and national defense and security. Our friendship has been deepened by frequent business and tourist exchanges between our peoples. With Taiwan’s active promotion of the New Southbound Policy, our bilateral trade exceeded US$39 billion last year, and Taiwan became Singapore’s fourth-largest trading partner.
Taiwan and Singapore each possess unique strengths. For example, Singapore is a powerful financial and logistics center, while Taiwan is home to outstanding talent in innovation and technology. Our economies are highly complementary, underlining the potential for greater cooperation.
This year, we have provided scholarships to encourage Singaporean students to study in Taiwan at departments and institutes having to do with the semiconductor field. Through educational exchanges, we hope to establish links for collaboration on semiconductor supply chains.
We hope the Parliament of Singapore will broaden cooperation with Taiwan’s new government, and that Singapore will support Taiwan’s bid to join the CPTPP, which will create more opportunities in employment and trade for both sides and allow us to jointly contribute to regional prosperity and development.
In closing, I again welcome former Speaker Abdullah in leading a delegation to attend our presidential inauguration. I wish you all a fruitful visit with many wonderful memories.
Former Speaker Abdullah then delivered remarks, saying that he is very pleased to be here and to see President Tsai again after their last meeting about eight years ago when he attended the president’s first inauguration. He then thanked the president for strengthening Singapore-Taiwan relations during her two terms of office.
Former Speaker Abdullah said that Singapore enjoys a very close and longstanding friendship with Taiwan and the Taiwanese people, with our cooperation ranging from trade and investments to the cultural and people-to-people sectors. He stated that we are important economic partners, as Taiwan was Singapore’s fourth largest trading partner, and Singapore in turn was Taiwan’s sixth largest trading partner, in 2023. Former Speaker Abdullah said that Singapore looks forward to continuing its mutually beneficial cooperation with Taiwan, further emphasizing that he thinks we should continue the friendly relationships between our two countries.
The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Singapore Trade Office in Taipei Trade Representative Yip Wei Kiat.