St Vincent Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves and his accompanying seven (7) member delegation, landed safely at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport at 5:40 am local time Sunday, August 7th (5:40 pm Eastern Caribbean time Saturday, August 6th).
The Prime Minister’s trip was made in spite of the still looming threat of Chinese aggression toward Taiwan.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release, Gonsalves will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen at the Presidential Office where he will receive a ceremonial military salute and attend a state banquet.
The two leaders will discuss bilateral cooperation and matters of common concern. Tsai will oversee the signing of an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, an agreement on the transfer of inmates, and a letter of intent on higher education cooperation.
The deals will bolster judicial and educational cooperation between the two countries, according to the press release.
The prime minister will visit the SVG embassy in Taiwan and meet with Vincentian students in Taiwan. He will also stop by the International Cooperation and Development Fund headquarters and Mackay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing, and Management, per the press release.
Gonsalves is scheduled to meet with Premier Su Tseng-chang and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu, who will host a banquet for the SVG prime minister.
Wu will accompany Gonsalves and his delegation to Kaohsiung, where they will attend a banquet hosted by Kaohsiung City Mayor Chen Chi-mai and visit economic institutions and cultural sites.
According to the API, Gonsalves delegation Includes the Minister of Housing and Social Development Orando Brewster and his wife Mrs Brewster, Chairman of the MS Mr Lennox Bowman, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Angie Williams-Jackson, Information Officer at the Agency for Public Information Shevrell McMillan and Personal security to Prime Minister Kendal Horne.
They are expected to leave Taiwan on Friday, August 12th.
