New Southbound Policy Portal

President Tsai Ing-wen thanked Central American allies Belize and Guatemala as well as Caribbean ally Haiti Feb. 18 for backing Taiwan’s participation in the activities, mechanisms and meetings of international organizations.
 
Faced with China’s campaign of coercion, Taiwan sincerely appreciates the firm backing of its diplomatic allies and like-minded partners for the country’s attendance at events such as the U.N. General Assembly last year.
 
Tsai made the remarks while receiving permanent representatives to the U.N. Lois Michele Young, Luis Antonio Lam Padilla and Patrick Saint-Hilaire from Belize, Guatemala and Haiti, respectively, at the Presidential Office in Taipei City. The delegation is in Taiwan on a five-day political, economic and cultural fact-finding visit.
 
According to Tsai, Taiwan is a front-line state against the spread of COVID-19. The country deserves a seat at the table in the World Health Organization and other U.N. specialized agencies, she added.
 
Health should come before politics, Tsai said, adding that the country’s world-leading health care system and experience with the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome mean it can make a real contribution to ensuring a seamless global pandemic prevention network.
 
Tsai also vowed to strengthen the country’s ties with its allies by continuing steadfast diplomacy under the principle of mutual assistance for mutual benefits, citing cooperation projects involving agriculture, commerce and tourism in Guatemala, Haiti and Belize, respectively. (YCH-E)
 
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw