【Epoch Times, December 20, 2025】Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Wu, led a delegation of trade and business representatives from Taiwan, including representatives from the tourism, hospitality, medical, and sustainable energy sectors, on a visit to the diplomatic ally of Palau from the 18th to the 21st. This visit aimed to advance Taiwan’s initiative to encourage increased investments by Taiwanese businesses in Palau under the “Brilliant Allies” project.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan stated in a press release that Minister Joseph Wu, in January of this year, led an industry delegation to Palau as a special envoy of the president to attend the inauguration of President Surangel Whipps, Jr., and to promote cooperation between Taiwan and Palau in the fields of healthcare, tourism, and sustainable energy. The Taiwan delegation was the largest among all congratulatory delegations and received high praise and gratitude from the Palauan authorities.
In May, President Surangel Whipps, Jr. led a delegation to Taiwan for a state visit, during which they inspected Taiwan’s tourism, smart healthcare, sustainable environmental protection, and efforts to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, demonstrating Palau’s commitment to these areas of cooperation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited representatives from the tourism, medical, and green energy industries to visit Palau together this time. The purpose of this visit is to review the progress of the Brilliant Allies project over the past year under the policy of “comprehensive diplomacy” and to encourage more investment and cooperation from Taiwanese businesses in Palau, deepening economic and trade exchanges between the two countries.
Palau is set to host the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in 2026, and Taiwan will actively participate in this event through exhibitions, green transportation, and promoting the transition to clean energy, showcasing Taiwan’s cooperation achievements with its diplomatic allies in areas such as innovative technology, smart healthcare, digital resilience, and sustainable development to the world, under the theme “Taiwan Experience, Palau Achievement, Seen by the World.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also invited relevant experts and industry representatives to join the delegation. Building on the long-standing friendship between Taiwan and Palau, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to work hand in hand with Palau, utilizing the policy of comprehensive diplomacy and implementing the Brilliant Allies project to jointly strengthen the economic resilience of diplomatic allies and achieve mutual prosperity with Taiwan.
Minister Joseph Wu posted on Facebook upon arriving in Palau, expressing his gratitude to the Minister of State, Gustav Aitaro, for personally welcoming the delegation and accompanying them throughout the visit. He also thanked President Surangel Whipps, Jr. for hosting a dinner in the evening, making all delegation members feel warmly welcomed. This marks his fourth visit to Palau, where he specially invited Taiwanese business representatives from the tourism, medical, and green energy sectors to assess bilateral cooperation opportunities on-site.
President Surangel Whipps, Jr. mentioned in his speech that Taiwan and Palau have established a sincere, solid, and enduring friendship based on shared values of democracy, freedom, and human rights, moving forward hand in hand for mutual growth. The President praised the cooperation between the two nations as an exemplary model of inter-country collaboration, with Taiwan’s technological and innovative advantages opening a door to the future for Palau.