Taiwan and the United States will hold the inaugural Pacific Islands Dialogue on October 7 in Taipei. Sandra Oudkirk, US Senior Official for APEC and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands in the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian & Pacific Affairs, is set to take part in the dialogue as head of the US delegation. The Taiwan-US co-hosted opening ceremony is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs.
As a free and democratic country with a highly developed economy, Taiwan has a responsibility to reciprocate to the global community, and has always been happy to share its development experience and technical expertise. Through cooperative projects in such fields as public health, transportation, education, agriculture and fisheries, technology, environmental protection, and infrastructure, Taiwan has helped its allies achieve sustainable development and improved public welfare. As President Tsai Ing-wen has said, Taiwan’s attitude towards its diplomatic allies is one of genuine friendship, sparing no effort to treat its allies with sincerity.
Taiwan and the US are co-hosting the first-ever Pacific Islands Dialogue to foster closer relationships between Taiwan and its diplomatic allies and to uphold regional stability and their shared values. This platform will be used to discuss international coordination on aid projects in Pacific Island countries, and to enhance the effectiveness of Taiwan’s own programs helping its allies in the region.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warmly welcomes US Deputy Assistant Secretary Oudkirk to Taiwan. Her visit, coming less than half a year after she assumed her current post, demonstrates her support for Taiwan as well as the strength of the Taiwan-US partnership. Aside from attending the Pacific Islands Dialogue, Deputy Assistant Secretary Oudkirk will also attend the Yushan Forum and meet with other Taiwanese government officials during her stay. (E)