Tsai’s Journey of Freedom, Democracy, Sustainability reaches SKN

2019/07/16

President Tsai Ing-wen arrived July 14 in St. Kitts and Nevis on the second leg of her Journey of Freedom, Democracy, Sustainability to Taiwan’s four Caribbean allies, according to the Presidential Office.
 
 Upon touching down at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport, Tsai was greeted by Prime Minister Timothy S. Harris, other senior government officials and members of the Taiwan expatriate community. She received a military honor guard welcome before departing for her hotel in St. Kitts.
 
 The next day, Tsai took part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Taiwan-St. Kitts and Nevis Pinney’s Beach Park Project. Overseen by Taipei City-headquartered International Cooperation Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), the eco-friendly and sustainable public recreation initiative is aimed at advancing tourism development in Nevis.

 Prior to St. Kitts and Nevis, Tsai visited Haiti and held bilateral talks with President Jovenel Moise on a wide range of issues of mutual concern. These included cooperative projects centering on power grid upgrades, rice cultivation and solar-powered pumping systems.

 Tsai also joined Moise in opening the Taiwan Expo 2019 in Port-au-Prince and attending a dinner banquet in her honor.

 Before Haiti, Tsai spent two nights in New York on her first U.S. stopover. She met with American Institute in Taiwan Chairman James F. Moriarty, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage, and had a telephone conversation with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The PO said discussions revolved around Taiwan-U.S. relations and regional security issues.

 Tsai also participated in a dinner function with Taiwan expatriates. VIPs in attendance included U.S. Reps. Michael McCaul and Ted Yoho; Freedom House President Michael J. Abramowitz; Edwin J. Feulner, founder and former president of Washington-based The Heritage Foundation; and Moriarty.

 Other highlights of her stay in the Big Apple were attending a meeting and reception with members of the Taiwan Caucus such as Sen. Robert Menendez and Reps. Steve Chabot and Eliot Engel; visiting Columbia University to deliver an address and take part in a panel discussion on Taiwan’s democracy and its challenges; and participating in the U.S.-Taiwan Business Summit presided over by Michael R. Splinter, chairman of the USTB Council and NASDAQ board.
 
 The trip is Tsai’s first to the region as head of state and seventh abroad since assuming office in May 2016. Accompanying officials include Minister of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph Wu, National Security Council Secretary-General David Tawei Lee and Secretary-General to the President Chen Chu.
 
 Tsai and her delegation will travel to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia, as well as stopover in the U.S. city of Denver, before returning July 22 to Taiwan.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)