The representatives of Taiwan’s 13 UN-recognized diplomatic allies voiced support for the nation’s international participation on Thursday, when they met with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in New York.
Tsai was in New York City on a stopover on her trip to Central American diplomatic allies Guatemala and Belize. She is to have another stopover in California before returning to Taiwan.
After a 30-minute closed-door meeting with Tsai at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York, Eswatini Representative to the UN Thamie Dlamini told the Central News Agency (CNA) that it was “remarkable” for the representatives to meet Tsai and her delegation.
Photo: CNA
Dlamini welcomed Tsai’s plan to visit Guatemala and Belize, saying it was meaningful for Taiwan to “renew friendship and solidarity” with its allies and like-minded countries.
Dlamini said that Tsai, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and other members of her delegation had good exchanges with the UN diplomats and friends from other countries, who also voiced their support for Taiwan’s participation in the international community.
Dlamini, who previously served as his country’s ambassador to Taiwan, said he believed that “Taiwan is playing a more important role” in the world at a time of multilateralism.
Photo: Reuters
In addition to the envoys from the 13 allies, representatives from other like-minded countries, such as Malta, also attended the meeting with Tsai, sources said.
Tsai arrived in New York on Wednesday afternoon US time and was expected to depart for Guatemala late yesterday.
Just days before Tsai’s departure for the US, Honduras on Sunday announced that it had cut diplomatic ties with Taiwan, leaving 13 UN members that recognize the Republic of China.
Dlamini said that the meeting did not touch upon the Honduras issue, but added that the Kingdom of Eswatini respected Tegucigalpa’s decision, as it probably had its reasons to make the move.
However, Eswatini and the 12 other allies would continue to support Taiwan, Dlamini said, adding that his country is committed to enhancing bilateral ties with Taipei.
On the second day of her stop in New York, Tsai also met with Liya Chu (朱如茵), the Taiwanese-American winner of the recently broadcast season of the US cooking show MasterChef Junior, which was filmed before the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the meeting with Tsai, Chu prepared liangyuan (涼圓), or ice balls, made of sweet potato powder in four colors with four different fillings — taro, custard, matcha and red bean — and presented them in the shape of Taiwan on a large plate decorated with orchids.
Chu said the dish’s pronunciation in Mandarin sounds similar to liangyuan (良緣), which means “harmonious union,” reflecting the hope that Taiwan will make many good friends.
“I hope everyone will support Taiwan no matter where you come from,” Chu told CNA.
Tsai gave the thumbs-up to the young chef as she ate the matcha ice balls.
Tsai also visited a grocery store and a bakery in a part of Brooklyn that has many Asian-American residents, and attended a breakfast forum at which she met with young entrepreneurs from Taiwan to talk about their pursuit of the American dream.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Tsai is to visit Guatemala from today to Monday and Belize from Monday to Wednesday.
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