Foreign Minister Wu visits Marshall Islands to mark 20 years of official ties

2018/11/21

Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu arrived in the Marshall Islands Nov. 19 for a three-day visit marking two decades of official ties between Taiwan and the Pacific island nation.
 
 Wu and his 14-member delegation were welcomed at Marshall Islands International Airport by Foreign Secretary Bruce Kijiner and Ladie Jack, mayor of capital city Majuro. The minister also received a certificate from Damien Jacklick, director of immigration, as the first Taiwan passport holder to enjoy visa-free entry to the Pacific ally under a reciprocal agreement taking effect the same day.
 
 Afterward, Wu traveled to Ajeltake Public Elementary School, where he was warmly greeted by faculty and students and presented with a gift of a model walap, a traditional ocean-going canoe.
 
 Wu later visited Laura Farm alongside Dennis Momotaro, minister of natural resources and commerce. A collaborative project administered by International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), the nation’s foremost foreign aid organization, the facility aims to boost the availability of fruits and vegetables while improving local diets and health.
 
 During their stop at the farm, the ministers met with members of the TaiwanICDF technical mission and toured an exhibition highlighting the results of bilateral agricultural cooperation.
 
 In the evening, Wu and his delegation were the guests of honor at a banquet hosted by Finance Minister Brenson Wase and attended by other senior officials and lawmakers.
 
 According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan and the Marshall Islands enjoy robust relations and cooperation across a broad spectrum of areas spanning agriculture, clean energy, environmental protection, health care and talent cultivation.
 
 Strong ties are spotlighted by frequent reciprocal high-level visits, including President Tsai Ing-wen’s trip to the country as part of a tour of three Pacific allies in late 2017, and Marshall Islands President Hilda C. Heine’s visit to Taiwan in July this year.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=2&post=145708)