Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met today with a visiting delegation led by Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste, the Foreign Minister of Haiti. During the meeting, Jean-Baptiste expressed his belief that Haiti and Taiwan will work together to build a sincere, friendly, and sustainable model of cooperation for the future. President Tsai, for his part, expressed his hope for the two countries to deepen their cooperation in facing various challenges.
President Tsai welcomed Foreign Minister Jean-Baptiste and his delegation, noting that Jean-Baptiste is the highest-ranking Haitian official to visit Taiwan since former President Jovenel Moïse’s visit in 2018. This visit symbolizes the importance Haiti places on the friendship between the two countries. President Tsai extended Taiwan’s warmest welcome on behalf of the Republic of China.
President Tsai highlighted that next year will mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Haiti. The two countries have achieved fruitful exchanges in important areas such as social security, education cooperation, and infrastructure development. In recent years, Taiwan has been actively collaborating with Haiti on projects to improve healthcare, enhance food security, and promote overall development.
President Tsai expressed gratitude to the Haitian government and Foreign Minister Jean-Baptiste for their unwavering support for Taiwan on the international stage. Whether it was Jean-Baptiste’s letter to the World Health Organization (WHO) in May or Haiti’s Health Minister Bertrand Sinal’s public statements at the World Health Assembly (WHA), both actions have acknowledged Taiwan’s efforts and contributions to global public health. Taiwan deeply appreciates these gestures of support.
President Tsai expressed his hope for continued mutual support and deepened cooperation between Taiwan and Haiti. He believed that Foreign Minister Jean-Baptiste’s visit would open up more opportunities for cooperation between the two countries and help them jointly tackle various challenges.
President Tsai once again warmly welcomed Foreign Minister Jean-Baptiste and his delegation and asked him to convey Taiwan’s greetings to Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and all members of the Transitional Presidential Council.
In his speech, Foreign Minister Jean-Baptiste reiterated the enduring and mutually respectful friendly cooperation between Haiti and the Republic of China, which will soon celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations. He also conveyed greetings from the Transitional Presidential Council and Prime Minister Fils-Aimé.
Jean-Baptiste emphasized the strong friendship that has been established between the two countries over the past few decades, despite their geographical distance and cultural differences. He pointed out the significant progress made in cooperation in agriculture, health, education, and community development, showcasing the collaborative efforts of both peoples to the world.
He stressed the importance of Taiwan’s voice to the Haitian people, highlighting Taiwan’s role as a key player in peace and innovation, actively engaging in global cooperation. Given the current global challenges and Haiti’s particularly difficult situation, he emphasized the need for unity and mutual assistance to deepen bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China mentioned that to enhance cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and Haiti in various fields, Foreign Minister Jean-Baptiste will meet with Foreign Minister Joseph Wu to discuss bilateral cooperation and shared concerns and will attend a banquet hosted by Minister Wu and his spouse. Jean-Baptiste will also visit the Southern Science Park, Chi Mei Hospital, the National Palace Museum, Taipei 101, and meet with Haitian scholarship students in Taiwan to show care for their studying and living conditions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China stated, “Since establishing diplomatic relations with Haiti 69 years ago, our friendship has been warm and cordial, with outstanding cooperation and remarkable achievements in areas such as social security, sustainable agriculture development, public healthcare, and education.”