Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s president, said Monday that she was impressed with Ralph Gonsalves’ determination to visit Taiwan despite China’s military exercises around the self-governing island.
“Prime Minister Gonsalves expressed in recent days that he would visit friends in Taiwan despite the Chinese military drills. These statements have deeply touched us,” Tsai said at a welcome ceremony for Gonsalves.
Among around a dozen nations with formal diplomatic ties to Taiwan, the Caribbean country’s prime minister is on the island to express solidarity, strengthen bilateral relations, and promote peace, security, and prosperity.
As in the Western hemisphere, we do not like it and we do not support it when any powerful neighbour intimidates or bullies us.” Gonsalves said. We must settle differences peacefully in a civilized manner wherever there are differences.”
The visit is Gonsalves’s 12th to Taiwan, and his 11th as Prime Minister, “clearly demonstrating the importance he attaches to diplomatic relations between our two countries,” Tsai said.
