On July 15th, President Tsai Ing-wen of the Republic of China met with Brenson Wase, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and expressed gratitude for the resolutions passed by the Marshall Islands parliament in April to support Taiwan’s international participation and deepen the friendship between the two countries. President Tsai hoped that the bilateral relationship would continue to strengthen in the future, creating more benefits for the people of both nations.
In his address, President Tsai first congratulated Speaker Wase on his assumption of office in January and thanked him for leading a delegation to Taiwan immediately after President Hilda C. Heine attended the inauguration ceremony of Tsai and Vice President William Lai, demonstrating the deep friendship between the two countries. He conveyed the sincerest welcome on behalf of Taiwan to Speaker Wase and the visiting delegation.
President Tsai also thanked Speaker Wase for his active assistance to Taiwan and the Marshall Islands over the years in various ministerial positions such as finance, transportation, and justice, to establish a closer partnership between the two countries. In recent years, both countries have jointly faced the challenges of the pandemic and continued to deepen cooperation in areas such as agricultural technology, women’s empowerment, and climate change. The “Taiwan-Marshall Islands Education Cooperation Memorandum” was recently signed, paving the way for expanded exchanges in education, sports, and personnel training between the two nations.
President Tsai emphasized, “Taiwan and the Marshall Islands are working together to enhance each other’s international visibility. For example, the Marshall Islands parliament passed resolutions in April to support Taiwan’s international participation and deepen bilateral ties. Last month, when the Micronesian Games were held in the Marshall Islands, Taiwan provided strong support, and I congratulate the successful completion of the event.”
President Tsai expressed his anticipation for further strengthening the bilateral friendship in the future to create more benefits for the people of both countries, and he welcomed Speaker Wase to visit Taiwan again to continue promoting exchanges and cooperation between the two nations, wishing the visiting delegation a successful and fruitful trip.
In his speech, Speaker Brenson Wase expressed his honor in visiting this beautiful country once again, representing the government and people of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, conveying warm greetings, and expressing sincere gratitude for the warm welcome received by the visiting delegation. The delegation included Chairman Jack Ading, Chairman Wilbur Heine, Senator Bruce Loeak, his wife Mrs. Antonia Wase, and Parliament Secretary Morean Watak from the Marshall Islands parliament.
Speaker Wase noted that this was his first visit to Taiwan as the Speaker of the Parliament since taking office. The Marshall Islands parliament recently passed two resolutions unanimously, highlighting the importance the Marshall Islands places on the relationship between the two countries, making this visit particularly significant. The first resolution commemorated the 26th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, built on mutual respect, cooperation, shared values of democracy, freedom, and rule of law, and their common Austronesian linguistic heritage, making everything more special.
He further pointed out that the second resolution acknowledged Taiwan’s unwavering support for the government and people of the Marshall Islands. Taiwan has been a valuable partner in the development of the Marshall Islands, providing assistance in various sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, and agriculture. The Marshall Islands are greatly appreciative of the genuine friendship and steadfast support Taiwan has shown over the years.
“The Marshall Islands parliament wholeheartedly supports Taiwan’s participation in United Nations-related organizations, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). Taiwan has demonstrated itself as a responsible global citizen, actively contributing to the international community in various fields. I believe Taiwan’s participation in these international organizations will further strengthen global cooperation and promote world peace and stability,” Wase said.
Wase mentioned that the delegation also met with Marshall Islands students studying in Taiwan, who were warmly welcomed and enjoying a rich learning experience at renowned universities. He thanked the Taiwan Scholarship Program for benefiting many young people from the Marshall Islands, providing them with educational and growth opportunities they may not have had access to otherwise.
Looking ahead, Wase highlighted the great potential for further development and cooperation in the relationship between Taiwan and the Marshall Islands, with both sides committed to strengthening their friendship, cooperating to address common challenges, achieving sustainable development, and promoting regional stability. Lastly, he thanked President Tsai for the audience and warm reception, expressing his honor to work together with Taiwan to create a brighter future for both countries.
The delegation also included Chairman Ading of the Appropriation Committee, Chairman Heine of the Health, Education, and Social Affairs Committee, and Senator Loeak, accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu of the Republic of China and Marshall Islands Ambassador to Taiwan Anjanette Kattil, who visited the Presidential Office to meet President Tsai, with Presidential Office Secretary-General David Pan in attendance.