Foreign leaders, dignitaries visit Taiwan for Double Tenth National Day

2018/10/09

Leaders and high-level officials from Paraguay, St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis are visiting Taiwan for Double Tenth National Day, underscoring the strength of relations between the country and the diplomatic allies in South America and the Caribbean, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oct. 8.
 
 Paraguay President Mario Abdo Benitez, St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and St. Kitts and Nevis Governor-General Sir S. W. Tapley Seaton will attend the Oct. 10 celebration alongside 650 foreign dignitaries from allies and like-minded nations, the MOFA said.
 
 Making his first state visit since taking office in August, Abdo Benitez is leading a delegation Oct. 7-11 including first lady Silvana Lopez Moreira, Foreign Minister Luis Castiglioni, Education Minister Eduardo Petta and Alejandro Peralta, minister of the Secretariat for Information and Communication.
 
 Abdo Benitez was welcomed with a military honor guard and a 21-gun salute outside the Presidential Office Building Oct. 8 in Taipei City before meeting with Tsai and MOFA Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu. He is scheduled to receive the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon from the president later the same day in recognition of his efforts to bolster Taiwan-Paraguay relations.
 
 During their stay, Abdo Benitez and his delegation will also attend a bilateral investment seminar and tour major attractions and facilities such as National Palace Museum.
 
 Chastanet is on his third state trip to Taiwan as prime minister of St. Lucia, spotlighting the strong bonds of friendship between the allies since the establishment of diplomatic ties 96 years ago, the MOFA said.
 
 Arriving Oct. 7 for a four-day stay, Chastanet has held discussions with Legislative Yuan President Su Jia-chyuan and National Security Council Secretary-General David Tawei Lee. He is also scheduled to meet with Tsai and Wu for talks on issues of mutual concern in such areas as agriculture, culture, education, health care, information and communications technology and public infrastructure, according to the ministry.
 
 Visiting Taiwan Oct. 8-12, Seaton is expected to meet with Tsai and Wu to discuss deepening the steadfast partnership and people-to-people connections between the allies. He will also stop at the International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) and tour major cultural landmarks such as NPM, Sun Moon Lake, National Taichung Theater and Taipei 101, the MOFA said.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=2&post=142959)