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On the afternoon of August 11, President Lai Ching-te, accompanied by Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao, held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Godwin Friday of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at the Presidential Office following a welcome ceremony with military honors for him and his wife. In remarks, President Lai expressed hope that Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines will continue to deepen cooperation across all sectors. He also voiced confidence that the two countries can continue to advance the well-being of their peoples through a diverse range of programs and thus inject new momentum into relations, launching a new chapter of collaboration.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
I would like to thank Prime Minister Friday once again for choosing Taiwan as the destination for his first intercontinental state visit since taking office. This decision demonstrates to the international community our robust and cordial diplomatic ties. I also want to thank Prime Minister Friday and the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for firmly backing Taiwan’s international participation. Ahead of the World Health Assembly (WHA) in May, Prime Minister Friday personally wrote a letter to the director-general of the World Health Organization advocating for Taiwan’s involvement. Minister of Health, Wellness and Energy Daniel Cummings also publicly voiced support for Taiwan at the plenary session of the WHA. We are deeply grateful for this profound friendship.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. With Prime Minister Friday’s support, I believe that our countries will continue to assist each other in the international arena and that our cooperation projects will continue to yield new achievements, advancing the well-being of our peoples. For example, the Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative and its Diplomatic Allies Inbound Track Program, launched last year, have encouraged youths from both nations to engage in concrete exchanges in smart agriculture and sustainable tourism.
I was also pleased to learn that Prime Minister Friday has highly commended Taiwan’s smart agriculture project at Orange Hill. The fresh produce from the plant factory and the high-quality agricultural products cultivated by young farmers are gaining popularity among local hotels and operators in the tourism industry, creating more homegrown business opportunities and inspiring more young people to join in agricultural development.
Looking ahead, Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation with St. Vincent and the Grenadines across all sectors. Through a diverse range of programs, we can continue to advance the well-being of our peoples. I also hope that more young Taiwanese will travel to your country to study and engage in exchanges. We also welcome the youth of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to come to Taiwan so that the younger generations can broaden their horizons together, allowing our nations’ strong bond to endure for generations to come.
Diplomatic ties are deepened, step by step. So let us work together to inject new momentum into our relations and launch a new chapter of collaboration.
Prime Minister Friday then delivered remarks, saying that it is a privilege to meet President Lai and that he is particularly pleased to have the opportunity during the first year of his new government to speak directly about the longstanding relationship between our two countries, our history of cooperation, and the hard work ahead. He noted that what began in 1981 as a decision between our two nations to cooperate has since become a lasting friendship. He said that these 45 years demonstrate the importance of Taiwan’s role in the relationship. On behalf of his government and the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the prime minister expressed sincere gratitude for Taiwan’s generosity and support throughout the years.
Prime Minister Friday said that no country develops in isolation, and that the quality of the relationships countries build internationally, the knowledge they exchange, and their ability to turn cooperation into practical results all matter. He stated that St. Vincent and the Grenadines approaches its relationship with Taiwan in that spirit. Noting that our two countries already have a substantial foundation on which to build, he expressed hope that the relationship can be made more responsive to the challenges and opportunities facing both countries today.
Prime Minister Friday said that he is also here to discuss the future, adding that he believes the bonds between the two nations are stronger than ever. He reiterated his government’s position that St. Vincent and the Grenadines deeply values its enduring friendship with Taiwan and is ready to take the necessary steps to deepen it and move beyond friendship to partnership. He expressed hope that our two sides will remove barriers, expand trade and commercial ties, and better understand how our two countries can complement one another for mutual prosperity.
Prime Minister Friday continued, saying that work is already underway as our two governments negotiate an Economic Cooperation Agreement to facilitate bilateral trade. He noted that practical bilateral matters remained to be concluded, including arrangements for the reciprocal recognition of driving licenses. Although separated by thousands of miles of ocean, he said, our two countries share a common vision for democracy and a desire to continue improving the lives and livelihoods of our citizens. He therefore expressed hope that practical ways can be found for our peoples to engage with one another more meaningfully and gain a better understanding of each other. The prime minister said that he wanted to see many more exchanges between our young people, professionals, businesses, and institutions, and for our two sides to continue building connections that would endure.
In closing, Prime Minister Friday expressed hope that our two countries will continue to build on our substantial foundation and deepen bilateral cooperation. He once again thanked Taiwan for the warm welcome extended to his delegation and expressed appreciation for the profound importance placed on the longstanding friendship between our two peoples. The prime minister said that he looks forward to sitting down with President Lai, speaking candidly, and discussing practical matters concerning what our two governments could accomplish together, what a future partnership between our two nations would look like, and the benefits that partnership could bring to future generations.
Also in attendance were Prime Minister Friday’s wife Mrs. Kathryn Ave Friday; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment, and Diaspora Affairs Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble; and Attorney General Sarah Louise Mitchell. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Kenton X. Chance.
