President Lai attends state banquet hosted by President Hilda C. Heine of the Marshall Islands
On the evening of December 3 local time (afternoon of December 3 Taipei time), President Lai Ching-te attended a state banquet hosted by President Hilda C. Heine of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. In remarks, President Lai noted that Taiwan and the Marshall Islands share an Austronesian culture, and that we cherish democracy and love liberty, adding that he believes we are truly a family. He then expressed his hope for our nations’ strong and everlasting ties.
A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
This is my first visit to the Marshall Islands. I am extremely grateful to our good friends for their warm reception. It is an honor to attend this state banquet hosted by President Heine. I want to thank President Heine and First Gentleman Thomas Kijiner, Jr. for visiting the Republic of China (Taiwan) this past May to attend the inauguration of myself and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao. Today, I am delighted to be advancing exchanges with President Heine, Speaker of the Nitijela (parliament) Brenson Wase, and our Marshallese friends.
On this visit, it has been profoundly apparent to me that our nations enjoy close, cooperative relations. We have not only visited the Majuro Hospital AI and Telemedicine Center, we have also seen the fruits and vegetables produced by the Taiwan Technical Mission and local farmers. These achievements are a wonderful reflection of our peoples’ friendship.
This afternoon, I was able to sample some of the vegetables grown at the Taiwan Technical Mission’s Laura Farm. Their produce was not only sweet and delicious, but quite touching. And I also got to try some of your nation’s very special Bob Whisky. It had a distinctive flavor, with a fruity aroma and a really great taste.
The past several years have seen the establishment and promotion of the AI and Telemedicine Center, undertaken by Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital’s Medical Center. It is really quite remarkable. It has helped empower the health of 80 percent of the Marshallese population. And Taiwan Health Center, which has a long presence in the Marshall Islands, is also reaching out to local communities with health-building efforts, helping the Marshallese youth to cultivate healthy lifestyles while also fostering talent for health promotion. I am confident that these efforts will benefit the health of the Marshallese people. So I would like to express my appreciation to our colleagues from Shuang Ho Hospital and the Taiwan Technical Mission.
Moving forward, Taiwan will do all it can to work with the Marshall Islands in creating many more cooperative achievements. Just like in education, for instance, during former President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit seven years ago, she signed the Taiwan-Marshall Islands Presidents’ Scholarship agreement with President Heine. To date, the scholarship has been awarded to 298 Marshallese students. Moreover, we have increased funding by US$500,000 – raising the total to US$1.5 million. For this visit, we also prepared some Taiwan-themed school supplies for the Marshallese schoolchildren to help them learn more about Taiwan. In all of these efforts, we aspire to cultivate even more talent.
Furthermore, we understand the importance of transport links to the Marshall Islands. That is why, with the active intervention of President Heine, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kalani Kaneko, and Speaker Wase, Taiwan will provide the Marshall Islands with a preferential loan that will allow Air Marshall Islands to procure new aircraft, improving local air services and safety. Meanwhile, we will carry out discussions on security issues with which President Heine is very concerned so as to help capacity-building for the Marshall Islands.
The friendship between Taiwan and the Marshall Islands has grown out of engagement in many sectors and walks of life. Our fellow Taiwanese here today – wholesale market and hardware store owners, shipping agency operators, hoteliers, and restauranteurs, for example – have striven for decades to create local job opportunities and strengthen our nations’ ties. I want to thank each and every one of you for your commitment and contributions. Going forward, we will encourage even more Taiwanese businesses to invest in the Marshall Islands.
Taiwan and the Marshall Islands have many things in common. We are maritime nations and maritime peoples; we share an Austronesian culture; and we are a family that cherishes democracy and loves liberty. Indeed, thanks to our deep and enduring alliance and our kindred spirits, I believe that Taiwan and the Marshall Islands are truly a family.
In closing, I invite you all to join me in a toast to our nations’ strong and everlasting ties.
President Heine then delivered remarks, saying that she is honored by President Lai visiting the Republic of the Marshall Islands in his first state visit since taking office. Our two nations, she said, while being separated by the vast Pacific Ocean, have many traditions and cultural aspects in common, and since establishing diplomatic relations 26 years ago, our ties have continued to deepen. She also noted that we share common values, including democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights and for a rules-based international order. We also engage in exchanges, she pointed out, in areas such as education, women’s empowerment, agriculture, medicine, public health, environmental protection, and culture.
President Heine reiterated that the government of the Marshall Islands is determined to support Taiwan and its 23 million people. She pointed out that during the United Nations General Assembly which she attended in September this year, she spoke out for Taiwan and firmly supported Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN system. If, she said, the UN is serious that “no one is left behind,” then it would acknowledge Taiwan’s efforts and partnerships toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Also in attendance at the event were Chairman for the Council of Iroij and traditional leader Lanny Kabua, as well as Ambassador of the Marshall Islands to Taiwan Anjanette Kattil.