The Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves, visited Taiwan to attend the inauguration ceremony of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te. During his visit, he referred to President Lai as “my brother William” and emphasized the strong friendship between Taiwan and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Gonsalves stated that loyalty and never betraying friends are values instilled in him since childhood.
Gonsalves, who has served as the Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for 23 years, made his 12th visit to Taiwan on this occasion. He praised President Lai’s inaugural speech, noting that it was comprehensive, addressing domestic and international challenges while outlining a vision for the future.
Regarding President Lai’s mention in his speech that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China are not subordinate to each other, Gonsalves believes that President Lai’s intention was not hostile but rather a description of the reality. He expressed that the Taiwanese people elected President Lai with the expectation of continuing on this path in the future.
During the state banquet in Tainan, Gonsalves observed President Lai discreetly and noted how guests continuously approached him for selfies. Despite barely having time to eat, President Lai repeatedly stood up and sat down, always maintaining a smile and patience. Gonsalves admired President Lai’s demeanor and was impressed by the event where President Lai took world leaders to a shrimp fishing competition.
Gonsalves described President Lai as approachable, recalling their conversations filled with jokes as if they were old friends. He pledged that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines would deepen cooperation with Lai’s government to address global challenges such as climate change. Gonsalves criticized the exclusion of Taiwan’s 23 million people from international organizations like the World Health Organization as unreasonable.
Coming from a humble background that values loyalty and friendship over complex business interests, Gonsalves appreciated Taiwan’s assistance in improving Saint Vincent’s infrastructure, which has fostered deep friendship between the two nations. He believed that any future leader of Saint Vincent considering severing ties with Taiwan would face significant political consequences.
The opposition party in Saint Vincent, the New Democratic Party, had threatened to establish diplomatic relations with China if it won the 2025 election. Gonsalves revealed that Saint Vincent is the only country in the eastern Caribbean that does not sell passports or citizenship. Many European and Middle Eastern intermediaries had tried to buy and sell Saint Vincent passports, with Chinese companies deeply involved in this business, serving as a significant source of funding for the New Democratic Party.
Gonsalves pointed out that the New Democratic Party’s desire to establish ties with China stemmed from the interests linked to the buying and selling of passports involving Chinese companies. However, the proposition to sever ties with Taiwan is highly unpopular among the people of Saint Vincent, as evidenced by the New Democratic Party’s past electoral setbacks. Therefore, Gonsalves does not anticipate a political shift in Saint Vincent following the next year’s elections.