The diplomatic ties shared between this country and Taiwan received another positive boost{{more}} this week as a team of six from the National Chengchi University (NCU) embarked on a cultural exchange visit here.

Thirty students from the St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College’s Division of Arts, Sciences and General Studies and a team of six students and one professor from NCU in Taiwan will be engaged in a series of activities aimed at strengthening ties between the youth of both nations.

The programme is also expected to give local students the opportunity to interface with Taiwanese students and will facilitate the exchange of cultural related information, this according to Taiwan’s Ambassador to St Vincent and the Grenadines Leo Lee.

Sessions are expected to include taekwondo, table tennis, Chinese folkdance computer literacy and craft.

But it will also give the Taiwanese contingent some insight into the Vincentian culture the Ambassador explained.

According to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Nicole Bonadie-Baker, the exchange visit fits in with the Ministry’s new outlook on the importance of including aspects of culture within the local curriculum.

“The visual and performing arts are indispensible, and for this reason, the Ministry has included this component in the revised curriculum,” she explained, adding that throughout the history of Taiwan’s relationship with this country, the focus has been on aspects of human development.

“There are immense social and educational benefits emanating from this exchange,” she continued.

The idea of a youth exchange visit was first proposed by Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, Ambassador Lee disclosed.

In speaking of the already established relationship which exists between the two countries, Dr Gonsalves spoke of the importance of involving the youth of both nations and the sharing of cultural ideologies.

“The Republic of China on Taiwan is one political expression of the Chinese civilization and has different national and political expressions,” Dr Gonsalves said.

“The Caribbean civilization, though young, have many expressions,” he added.

He continued saying that the Vincentian aspect of Caribbean society was vibrant and is grounded rich in history adding that it was greatly anticipated that the young people are capable of sharing the “various manifestations of civilization.” (DD)