I met with the members of the Taiwan Technical Mission on my last visit to Paraguay in 2016. At the time, I visited the recently completed Orchid Exhibition and Sale Center, and also saw a Feed Production Project factory. Today, at a luncheon with President Horacio Cartes, I saw a variety of exceptionally beautiful orchids. I know they represent the painstaking efforts of many people and are the result of cooperation between Taiwan and Paraguay.
From the previous briefing, we learned that enhancing the scale of orchid cultivation and commercial production capacities is essential to establishing the domestic orchid industry in Paraguay. In addition to giving Paraguay seedlings, we should all work together to realize the commercialization of production and formation of its domestic orchid industry.
In the briefing I just received, Minister-designate of Public Health and Social Welfare Julio Mazzoleni has highly praised the Health Information Management Efficiency Enhancement Project. This project helps to provide greater health care in remote areas. I therefore believe that providing health care in remote areas and medical information technology could be important Taiwan-Paraguay cooperation projects.
On the Mandarin-language teaching, I saw teachers from Taiwan teaching in many organizations in Paraguay, helping more Paraguayan friends better understand Taiwan and deepening the friendship between our two countries.
Everyone in the technical mission is akin to one of our diplomats, and thus playing an important role in Taiwan's diplomatic efforts. Many technical mission members serve more than one of our diplomatic allies. Mr. Luis Jou (周俊賢), head of the current technical mission, previously helped set up a production and marketing system for fishermen in Honduras, but is now in Paraguay, continuing his work with our diplomatic allies.
Taking the opportunity of meeting with you today, I want to cheer you on and thank you for supporting Taiwan's diplomatic efforts. I also want to announce that beginning from next year, the government will increase rent allowances for technicians stationed abroad and educational stipends for their children. With that increase we hope to bring the allowances for technical personnel stationed overseas closer to what we provide for our diplomats. We therefore hope that you can focus on your job without worries while working hard. I hope that everyone will continue to do your job to the best of your abilities to optimize the benefits of Taiwan-Paraguay exchanges and cooperation.
I also want to express my respect for our colleagues on the front lines. Paraguay is our most geographically distant ally, so it takes nearly 24 hours to fly from Taiwan to Los Angeles, and then from Los Angeles to Paraguay. However, I trust that everyone has been here for quite some time and understands that Paraguay certainly has a lot of promising industries that offer joint cooperation and development opportunities.
I have no doubt that it is tough to be away from home. All of you shoulder the diplomatic responsibility of the country and the expectations of the Paraguayan government and people. I trust all the hardship will be worthwhile. I want to thank you all for your efforts. Let's work together and do our best!