Lai Ching-te meets with First Lady of Guatemala: Continuously strengthening bilateral friendship

President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Lai Ching-te, met with the delegation of the First Lady of the Republic of Guatemala, Lucrecia Peinado, on the 11th, expressing gratitude to the Guatemalan government and parliament for their attention and support to the bilateral friendship between the two countries. He hoped for continued promotion of exchanges and cooperation to deepen the bond between the two nations.

President Lai Ching-te welcomed Lucrecia Peinado and her delegation’s visit to Taiwan, conveying President Bernardo Arévalo’s congratulations on the National Day of the Republic of China, highlighting the friendly relations between the two countries.

President Lai pointed out that he shares a common background with Lucrecia Peinado in the field of medicine. Particularly, he mentioned her years of service in international organizations, assisting disadvantaged groups with rich experience, which complements President Arévalo’s governance to create more well-being for the people of Guatemala.

“Taiwan and Guatemala have had close cooperation in areas such as healthcare, agricultural technology, and education and culture over the years. For example, the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Guatemala inaugurated a new neonatal building this year, providing higher quality medical services, which is also the result of the joint efforts of the two countries,” said President Lai.

President Lai mentioned that during a video call with President Arévalo in May this year, both sides expressed the desire to further deepen the bilateral friendship. To enhance industrial cooperation between the two countries, Taiwan is organizing an expert team to visit Guatemala to investigate the industry development environment, as well as focusing on talent cultivation to create more cooperative achievements.

President Lai expressed that Taiwan and Guatemala have both been striving tirelessly for freedom and safeguarding democracy along the way, which has led to the flourishing development of each other’s countries today. He thanked the Guatemalan government and parliament for their attention and support to the bilateral friendship. Faced with various challenges in the international situation, he believed that only by maintaining firm beliefs and working together can a peaceful and prosperous future be created.

Lastly, President Lai once again welcomed Lucrecia Peinado and her delegation’s visit, and asked her to convey greetings from Taiwan to President Arévalo. He looks forward to President Arévalo and his wife visiting Taiwan in the near future to continue promoting more exchanges and cooperation.

The visiting delegation was accompanied by Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Wu, and Guatemala’s acting representative in Taiwan, Daniela Ortiz Figueroa, who went to meet President Lai at the Presidential Office. The Secretary-General of the Presidential Office, Meng-an Pan, and the Secretary-General of the National Security Council, Joseph Wu, were also present.