TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Leaders of overseas Taiwanese communities are important pioneers in citizen diplomacy, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said on Tuesday (Aug. 29).
Speaking at the opening ceremony for the 2023 Annual Overseas Community Affairs Council conference, Tsai thanked the leaders for assisting Taiwan in overcoming COVID challenges and facilitating pandemic prevention equipment abroad, allowing countries to witness Taiwan's goodwill, CNA reported.
Tsai pointed out that Taiwan's performance on the international stage has been recognized in recent years, with friends from the EU, the U.S., Japan, and other countries visiting Taiwan to show their support. Taiwan is welcoming the world, and also going global, she said.
The president said that since taking office in 2016, each successful trip abroad has required significant efforts from overseas Taiwanese communities. Tsai expressed gratitude for their contributions and said she hopes the communities will continue their work to garner more support for Taiwan.
Tsai said she anticipated the conference to be an opportunity for overseas Taiwanese to share valuable insights with the government and bolster Taiwan's prosperity and development.
Tsai most recently visited Guatemala and Belize in March and is slated to lead a delegation to Eswatini next month.