President Tsai Ing-wen welcomed Prime Minister Ralph E. Gonsalves of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and Mrs. Gonsalves on the afternoon of August 7 with full military honors, emphasizing that SVG has always been Taiwan’s staunchest ally in the Caribbean.
The president also expressed hope that with the new SVG Embassy in Taiwan, we will see even more landmark accomplishments in our longstanding diplomatic ties and cooperation.
The welcome ceremony with military honors was held at 16:30 in the Main Plaza of the National Theater & Concert Hall of the National Performing Arts Center.
After a 19-gun salute and the performance of the national anthems of both countries, President Tsai and Prime Minister Gonsalves each delivered an address.
In his remarks that followed, Prime Minister Gonsalves stated that he was very happy to be in Taiwan on yet another occasion at this very beautiful location.
In addition to thanking the government and people of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for a warm welcome, he stated that Taiwan and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have been very good friends now for 38 years, and have developed links as though we are families, as a general love and warmth between our two peoples.
Prime Minister Gonsalves then mentioned President Tsai’s visit to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines last month, saying that the women and young people of their country were thrilled to see her.
It’s not often that they see a female president, he stated, and the fact that she has become the leader of this great country, as the first woman, is a matter of real significance to the women, and especially the young women in his country.
The prime minister pointed out that one of the central purposes of his visit to Taiwan on this occasion is to formally open the Embassy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Our ties are growing stronger over the years, he said, and the opening of the Embassy is a mark of the maturation of our relations.
He stated that he’s sure that both our countries will benefit from the establishment of this Embassy here. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has sent a very distinguished lady to represent them, the prime minister said, and she will endear herself to the government and people of Taiwan.
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