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Major speeches

President Tsai addresses Parliament of Nauru

2019-03-25

President Tsai addresses Parliament of Nauru

To begin, I would like to thank the Honorable Speaker Buraman for inviting me. It is an honor to address the Parliament of Nauru on behalf of Taiwan's 23 million people.

I come here today to reaffirm the partnership we have developed over the past several years, and honor the heritage of Austronesian cultures that Taiwan and Nauru share.

For thousands of years, our ancestors in Austronesian countries sailed the seas, and settled down on islands throughout the Pacific Ocean. Over time, our ancestors embraced and worked with immigrants coming from different eras to develop their islands.

Among those islands, some had experienced colonization and then became democracies, including Taiwan and Nauru.

As our shared democratic values and maritime orientation are driving us to embrace the world, I chose "Oceans of Democracy" as the theme for this trip.

This special bond between Taiwan and Nauru is also reflected in our bilateral cooperation.

Our cooperative efforts, past and present, have produced many memorable achievements in the educational, agricultural, and medical fields.

In education, we were honored to set up a Taiwan Scholarship program, and have helped over 50 students from Nauru study in Taiwan.

I would be remiss if I did not mention one of the scholarship's outstanding recipients, Deputy Speaker Mr. Asterio Appi, who is here with us today. He is also the winner of our Ministry of Education's Distinguished Taiwan Alumni Award.

And his alma mater, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, is an important center for training agricultural talent from home and abroad.

Over the past few years, Taiwan has also continued to share agricultural technology with Nauru, turning barren sand into fertile farmland, and sending produce to the hospital and schools to give patients and students better nutrition.

Together, Taiwan and Nauru have developed a special "Taiwan-Nauru" breed of chicken. These chickens produce high-quality eggs, providing better nutrition to the children here, and making the future generation healthier and stronger.

In Nauru, we're also promoting the only mushroom cultivation trial program amongst our Pacific allies. Next, we plan to create a more sustainable food culture here by developing processing capabilities.

When families get the nourishment they need, and better healthcare, we see better education outcomes, and more vibrant economic activity.

So that's why in addition to agricultural cooperation, we are also sending medical professionals to Nauru.

For instance, as we gather here, an orthopedic medical mission from Taiwan's Veterans General Hospital-Taichung is operating a volunteer clinic in Nauru. That clinic is a response to a new proposal by President Waqa at last year's annual Pacific Islands Forum.

And it is lovely to know that some parents named their children "Taiwan" after their children received treatment from our medical mission.

As island nations, I think we can all agree that no nation is immune from climate change. And the only way we can jointly respond to that challenge is by strengthening our regional partnerships.

So I am pleased to announce that later, Taiwan and Nauru will sign a Coast Guard Cooperation Agreement, and the solar power electrical system we are building at the Nauru Hospital is almost completed.

These initiatives reflect our commitment to protecting the oceans, and sustainable development.

As Taiwan is always striving to contribute more to the region and the world, I want to take this opportunity to thank the Nauru Parliament and government for their efforts to support Taiwan's international participation. That includes President Waqa's resolution supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in UN bodies, and the Taiwan-friendly resolution that was passed by the parliament this month.

Also not long ago, the Minister Assisting the President, Mr. David Adeang, attended the Micronesia Presidents' Summit, where the representatives unanimously passed a resolution supporting Taiwan's equal participation in the annual Pacific Islands Forum.

These achievements and unwavering support give us great confidence. As an important member of the Pacific region, Taiwan is willing and able to work with Nauru to contribute to regional prosperity and development.

Looking ahead, I hope our two countries can do more trade together, and our two peoples will visit each other more often. Following the reciprocal visa-free entry program we launched last year, next, I hope we can see Nauru Airlines fly between Taiwan and Nauru.

I am very proud of our shared commitment to building a sustainable region, but we should always remind ourselves that no nation can achieve this alone.

And we should also remind ourselves that history belongs to those who stand firm, and honor their commitments.

In closing, I would like to thank President Waqa, and Speaker Buraman. I thank you for the honor of standing in this great chamber to reaffirm the cultural ties, democratic values, and warm friendship that we share. Thank you!

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