Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

On the morning of June 1, the Presidential Office held a press conference to announce that Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao will lead a delegation to the Republic of Palau, a diplomatic ally of Taiwan, from June 6 to 10. President Lai Ching-te expressed hope that the delegation will achieve the three core objectives of deepening diplomatic ties, assisting Palau in promoting sustainable tourism, and witnessing the achievements of Taiwan-Palau cooperation through the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project. The president also expressed hope that Taiwan and Palau will continue deepening cooperation in various areas, demonstrating to the international community the robust, profound bilateral relations and cooperative achievements between Taiwan and Palau.

At the press conference, Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) stated that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Taiwan and Palau have maintained a close and friendly partnership, and that President Lai's first overseas visit after he assumed office in 2024 was to Palau. She noted that Palauan President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. has also visited Taiwan multiple times in recent years, demonstrating through his concrete actions his high regard for the diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Palau. The spokesperson mentioned that this year, Taiwan was once again honored to receive President Whipps' invitations for President Lai and Vice President Hsiao to visit. To deepen the friendship and promote people-to-people exchanges, she said, President Lai has especially appointed Vice President Hsiao to lead a delegation to Palau from June 6 to 10 in response to President Whipps' gracious invitation.

Spokesperson Kuo stated that the name of this visit is the “Palau Prosperity Project,” which symbolizes the hope that, on the foundation of our deep diplomatic ties, Taiwan and Palau will continue to provide mutual assistance for shared prosperity, create greater well-being for both peoples, and jointly promote progress for the two countries and the world. President Lai has set three core objectives for the visit:

1. To deepen diplomatic ties. The vice president's trip will include meetings with President Whipps and political figures, with the aim of strengthening interactions and further deepening the friendship between the two nations.

2. To assist Palau in promoting sustainable tourism. Since tourism is a key pillar of Palau's national development, Vice President Hsiao will visit well-known sustainable tourism attractions in Palau and jointly promote Palau's tourism with President Whipps.

3. To witness the achievements of Taiwan-Palau cooperation through the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project. In recent years, the governments of Taiwan and Palau have jointly promoted the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project. On this trip, Vice President Hsiao will witness firsthand the tangible results of the project as well as our cooperative achievements in recent years in such areas as medicine and public health, agriculture and fisheries, and public infrastructure.

The spokesperson mentioned that the “Palau Prosperity Project” delegation will include Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀), Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Baushuan Ger (葛葆萱), as well as a team composed of personnel from the Presidential Office, the National Security Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other agencies.

Vice Minister Ger subsequently provided further details on the itinerary:

1. Official visits: As part of her itinerary, Vice President Hsiao will meet with President Whipps and other key leaders of the Palauan government. She will also visit the Palau National Congress to engage with members of the Senate and the House of Delegates.

2. Witnessing the achievements of Taiwan-Palau cooperation through the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project: Vice President Hsiao will visit the demonstration farm of the Taiwan Technical Mission in Palau, the National Aquaculture Center, and Belau National Hospital, among other sites. She will also attend an inauguration ceremony for an infrastructure project built with Taiwan's assistance, and alongside members of the Palauan government, review cooperative achievements from recent years resulting from the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project in areas such as agriculture and fisheries, medicine and public health, and infrastructure.

3. Promoting Palau's sustainable tourism attractions: Vice President Hsiao will be personally accompanied by President Whipps, at his invitation, to visit several of Palau's sustainable tourism attractions. Through these firsthand visits, they will jointly promote Palauan tourism, with the hope of introducing more of Taiwan's citizens to the beauty of Palau and sparking greater interest in traveling there.

4. Attending the Palauan government's welcome banquet and hosting Taiwan's appreciation banquet: At the invitation of the Palauan government, Vice President Hsiao will attend a welcome banquet hosted by President Whipps. She will also host an appreciation banquet on behalf of the government of Taiwan to express gratitude for Palau's hospitality.

5. Other itinerary items: In addition to the aforementioned itinerary, Vice President Hsiao will engage with the Palauan community and visit local cultural businesses to foster closer interaction and exchanges with the Palauan people. She will also visit the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the Republic of Palau to show her support for frontline diplomatic personnel, members of the technical mission, medical staff stationed in Palau, volunteers, and members of the overseas Taiwanese community.

Vice Minister Ger stated that conducting head-of-state and vice-head-of-state diplomacy through visits to strengthen ties with diplomatic allies has always been a key focus of the government's foreign policy. This will mark Vice President Hsiao's first visit to a diplomatic ally since taking office, making it especially meaningful, and all official meetings and visits are being meticulously planned and coordinated. The vice minister said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to work closely with relevant agencies and the Palauan government to ensure that all arrangements for the visit are comprehensive and that its objectives will be smoothly accomplished, demonstrating to the international community the robust, profound bilateral relations and cooperative achievements between Taiwan and Palau.