Purpose
Pursuing head of state diplomacy and enhancing high-level friendships with our allies have been major diplomatic tasks for successive administrations, and are also the current administration’s most important tasks in promoting "steadfast diplomacy" and consolidating diplomatic relationships. Since the 2017 trip under the "Sustainable Austronesia, Working Together for a Better Future" theme, when President Tsai led a delegation to visit three Pacific allies—the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and the Solomon Islands—the heads of state of our diplomatic allies Palau and Nauru have extended multiple invitations to President Tsai to visit their countries. Leading a delegation on state visits gives the president a chance to see and experience things first-hand, and thus understand regional development needs, which in turn fosters mutually beneficial cooperation and enhances mutual trust and consensus. This has positive benefits for bilateral relations between Taiwan and its diplomatic allies, and the president has long wanted to visit Taiwan's Pacific allies again. So from March 21-26, 2019 she led a delegation to Palau and Nauru, and then continued on to the Marshall Islands on March 26 to attend the Pacific Women Leaders' Coalition Conference. On the way home, the delegation made a stopover in Honolulu.
During this trip, the delegation received high-level courtesies and treatment from Taiwan's diplomatic allies. Palau President and Mrs. Remengesau Jr., as well as Nauru President and Mrs. Waqa, accompanied the delegation during almost the entire itinerary in their respective countries. Marshall Islands President Hilda C. Heine and her husband, Mr. Kijiner, personally received President Tsai on her arrival at the airport, and sent her off upon departure. The trip went smoothly, with many achievements.
The delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), Minister Wu Hsin-hsing (吳新興) of the Overseas Community Affairs Council, Minister of the Council of Indigenous Peoples Icyang Parod (夷將‧拔路兒), Legislator Liu Chao-hao (劉櫂豪), and National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥).