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On the evening of June 7 local time (afternoon of the same day Taipei time), Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao attended a welcome banquet hosted by President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. of the Republic of Palau. In remarks, Vice President Hsiao thanked the government and people of Palau for always standing with Taiwan. The vice president mentioned that President Lai tasked her with three assignments for this trip: deepening the friendship between the two peoples, encouraging more Taiwanese tourists to consider Palau as their next destination, and visiting the important projects demonstrating the solid cooperation between Taiwan and Palau. She noted that Taiwan and Palau have shared values in the commitment to preserving the natural environment and in the democracy and freedom that define our ways of life. She then expressed hope that the friendship will continue to develop and stand the test of time, and that Taiwan-Palau bonds will continue to build stronger together.
A transcript of Vice President Hsiao's remarks follows:
I bring warm greetings from President Lai, the government, and the people of Taiwan. And it is a true honor to have been assigned the task of coming to Palau to deepen the ties between our peoples. Actually, President Lai gave me three assignments for this trip.
The first is deepening the friendship between our two peoples. And this is my second day here, and I truly appreciate that President Whipps showed me a spectacular visit here. And what can be more bonding than swimming together among sharks? And of course, the world-class scenery.
The second assignment is to encourage more Taiwanese tourists to consider Palau as their next destination. Among all of our important diplomatic friends and partners, Palau is the only one that is accessible directly by a comfortable and short commercial flight. We believe the spectacular beauty that Palau offers will continue to attract more Taiwanese visitors. We also believe that sustainable tourism, which Palau is working hard to promote, is a very important attraction that will continue to be that platform introducing the beauty, the culture, but also the people of Palau to the world, including to the many Taiwanese people.
The third assignment is to visit the important projects demonstrating the solid cooperation between Taiwan and Palau. I look forward to the next few days in visiting some of the infrastructure projects, the projects representing expert cooperation in agriculture, fisheries, and of course, public health. But today, I was also honored to have been escorted by President Whipps to visit the island of Peleliu, which also has a very rich history – a history that reminds us how important peace is to the world.
And of course, in the coming days, the visit today to the islands and to the ocean reminds us why five days is still too short. But I have a very packed program in the next few days, visiting these projects demonstrating the very close ties between our people. But I think it is important to share with all of you that the oceans between us, the Pacific Ocean, does not separate us. Instead, it connects us. It connects our culture, it connects our people, it also connects our ideas. We have shared values in the commitment to preserving our natural environment; we have shared values in the democracy and freedom that define our ways of life. And I think all of these are elements that will continue to bind us together.
And finally, while I have the microphone, I want to highlight our thanks and gratitude to President Whipps and the government and people of Palau for always standing with Taiwan and supporting Taiwan with an international voice. Things have not been easy for us, but our history of hardship has made us even more resilient. And like the Palauan people, we are also island people. And as we look to the Pacific, we look at the Pacific with an open heart, an open mind, and with a warmth and hospitality that continue to bring us together and demonstrate that we are both countries that are forces for good in the world. So, may our friendship continue to develop and stand the test of time, and may our bonds continue to build stronger together.
President Whipps then delivered remarks, first welcoming Vice President Hsiao and saying that it is an honor to host the delegation on her first official visit to Palau. He stated that the presence at the banquet of the whole of government of Palau reaffirms the closeness and importance of the bilateral partnership and relationship. He pointed out that Taiwan and Palau share deep-rooted ties based on mutual respect, democratic values, and strong people-to-people connections. Noting that both countries share in Austronesian culture, he stated that both sides not only share many habits and cultural traditions but also continue to build on that relationship. Bringing up the example of a Palauan sailing canoe having just returned from visiting Taiwan, he emphasized that keeping traditional knowledge alive is important for celebrating our shared identity as ocean people.
President Whipps mentioned that during his visit to Japan last week, he was asked by many media outlets about Palau's relationship with Taiwan. He reassured them that the relationship is strong and getting stronger because of our mutual interests, a rules-based world order, and our shared belief in a free and open Indo-Pacific. He stressed that both countries must stand up for freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. Highlighting that Taiwan is a prosperous and growing nation that has shown the world its leadership in healthcare, technology, aviation, and all fields, the president stated that Taiwan needs to be a part of international discussions and should be a part of the United Nations, World Health Organization, and International Civil Aviation Organization. He added that all voices need to be heard, which is the very purpose of the UN.
President Whipps expressed his gratitude to Taiwan for being a true and exceptional partner, always providing support in the most difficult of times. He recalled that during the COVID pandemic, Taiwan provided medical flights, supplied needed equipment to help Palau stay COVID-free, and allowed Palauan students to continue going to school in Taiwan. He noted that caring about people and putting people first is what Palau truly treasures in our relationship. Furthermore, he noted, important cooperation projects such as direct flights, aquaculture, infrastructure, and encouraging Taiwanese investment are all vital to building a platform for economic activity and economic resilience. In closing, the president expressed his hope that Taiwan and Palau will continue to work together, as they believe in winning together and being stronger together. He then encouraged Vice President Hsiao to make more frequent visits to Palau.
Also in attendance at the banquet were Vice President of the Senate of the Republic of Palau Stevenson Kuartei, House of Delegates Floor Leader Warren Umetaro, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, the Environment Steven Victor, Minister of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism and Development Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl, High Chief Ngirturong John Sugiyama, Queen Bilung Gloria Salii, Ambassador of Japan to Palau Kasahara Kenichi, Ambassador of Australia to Palau Toby Sharpe, and Chargé d'Affaires Shankar Rao of the US Embassy in the Republic of Palau.
