Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves is now in Taiwan on a five-day state visit during which he will meet with President Tsai Ing-wen.

The Prime Minister and his delegation, who will be in Taiwan until August 12, were met at the Taoyuan International Airport on Sunday morning (Taiwan time) by the Foreign Minister of Taiwan Joseph Wu.

Included among the delegation from St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) are Minister of National Mobilization Dr Orando Brewster and his wife Latheisha, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Angie Jackson, Ambassador of the Embassy of SVG in Taiwan Andrea Bowman, Chairman of the National Insurance Services Lennox Bowman, Information Officer, Agency for Public Information Shevrell McMillan and Security Officer Kendal Horne.

Taiwan News reported that on arrival, Gonsalves said he is glad to visit Taiwan under the “particular” circumstances, as St Vincent and the Grenadines and Taiwan share “relations of a family nature.”

“We find it unacceptable for threats to be made; threats of violence, threats of aggression, which by their very nature destabilize East Asia and indeed, the world,” Gonsalves said. He said his country has made its position very clear: “We particularly do not like when big and powerful countries threaten smaller ones.”

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves (left) with Foreign Minister of Taiwan Joseph Wu (right), on arrival at the Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan (CNA photo)

In relation to SVG’s relations with China, Gonsalves added, “We are not the ones who have set pre-conditions on our relationships; they have insisted that if we [wish to form] diplomatic relations with them, we must drop all relations with Taiwan. We can’t abandon our friends. We do not accept that any country can set pre-conditions to us as a basis for our relations with them.”

He said that he is in Taiwan to show solidarity to the Taiwanese government and people, who have shared 42 years of friendship with his country.

Gonsalves stressed that SVG has no intentions of being China’s enemy, and that his visit does not prevent the country from “respectful” communications with China. He said whether U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should visit Taiwan is between her and Taiwan, and not an excuse to conduct military exercises.

Gonsalves concluded by saying he looks forward to meeting President Tsai Ing-wen, singing karaoke with Wu, as well as celebrating his birthday in Taiwan.