TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Palau President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. emphasized that his visit to Taiwan is primarily to come up with cooperative ways to revitalize Palau’s economic recovery on Thursday (Oct. 6).

In a speech at the Taiwan-Palau Economic Roundtable, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Whipps said Palau’s tourism industry was hit hard by the pandemic and expressed the hope that Taiwan could brainstorm with its civil aviation and tourism industry representatives to find a way to diversify markets and enhance the competitiveness of tourism packages for the country, according to a MOFA press release.

He also invited Taiwanese to visit Palau once Taiwan relaxes COVID-related measures and ends its quarantine policy on Oct. 13.

Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) said the roundtable discussed how to balance sustainable development and economic resilience via three major strategies: Tourism industry revitalization, digital finance development, and investment in increased agricultural and fisheries production.

Tien said MOFA is willing to deepen its partnership with Palau in the above fields, actively promote cooperation and exchanges, and help each other for common prosperity.

The roundtable had representatives from Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration, Tourism Bureau, Central Bank, Securities and Futures Bureau, Financial Supervisory Commission, International Cooperation and Development Fund, and other relevant agencies to talk with the Palau delegation regarding future economic cooperation.

Whipps arrived on Wednesday (Oct. 5) with a delegation to attend the 2022 Yushan Forum and the Double Ten Day celebrations.