President Tsai Ing-wen said Sept. 15 that the government will continue expanding exchanges and deepening friendship with ROC (Taiwan) allies Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua in Central America.
Taiwan has stepped up cooperation with all three countries since the outbreak of COVID-19, Tsai said. This includes sharing essential medical items, expertise and the latest information on pandemic management protocols, she added.
Wide-ranging bilateral collaboration has been strengthened rather than stopped by the pandemic, Tsai said, citing the June opening of a country office by Honduras-headquartered Central American Bank for Economic Integration in Taipei City.
Tsai made the remarks during a special video message for Central American Independence Day bicentennial celebrations in which she extended her congratulations on behalf of the government and people of Taiwan.
According to Tsai, great strides have been made in strengthening ties between Taiwan and the three countries spanning such areas as economic development, health care improvement and trade facilitation.
Highlights include an arrangement with Guatemala on mutual recognition of authorized economic operator certifications to streamline import and export operations, an agreement with Honduras to upgrade its hospital information technology system, and the Creative Economy Accompaniment Project in Nicaragua to spur broad-based economic development.
These partnerships extend to the education sector, Tsai said. Various student exchange programs continue apace despite the pandemic, enabling young people to establish interpersonal connections and learn more about their respective cultures, she added.
Tsai also took the opportunity to thank Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua for choosing to stand with Taiwan and support the country’s participation on the international stage. It is sincerely hoped robust relations will continue flourishing and delivering sustainable prosperity for the countries and people, she added. (SFC-E)
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