《TAIPEI TIMES》 Lai expects more unity with partners

DIPLOMACY: President Lai said he is looking forward to more collaboration with like-minded countries as he received several dignitaries separately yesterday

By Jake Chung / Staff writer, with CNA

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President William Lai （賴清德） yesterday continued to receive foreign dignitaries who traveled to Taiwan to participate in Monday’s inauguration ceremony, and congratulated Lai and expressed hopes to continue working with the nation.

In a meeting with former Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite, Lai said global situations and geopolitical strategies are changing rapidly and he hopes that both countries would step up collaborative efforts as they face significant challenges.

Taiwan and Lithuania are small countries trying to survive with strong and unfriendly neighbors, Grybauskaite said, adding that there is much the two nations could learn from each other.

In a meeting with Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine, Lai said he is looking forward to working with Heine to create regional peace and prosperity.

Heine said Marshallese are firmly committed to their pledge to be Taiwan’s most stalwart ally and would continue to advocate for the nation on the global stage.

In a meeting with Somaliland House of Elders First Deputy Speaker Said Jama Ali, Lai mentioned “Project Africa” and said he hopes that his administration would continue working with Somaliland.

We hope to broaden the areas we collaborate and thrive together, he said.

Ali congratulated Lai and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim （蕭美琴） on their inauguration and said that Taiwan-Somaliland relations have continued to grow over the past few years, underscoring the friendship the two countries share.

Separately, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office （TECRO） in Washington held a celebratory event to mark the inauguration at the Twin Oaks estate, which US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul attended.

McCaul congratulated the Democratic Progressive Party on its historic third consecutive win and said Taiwan-US relations have never been closer than this year, which coincidentally was the 45th year of the signing of the Taiwan Relations Act.

McCaul said he had been reviewing the Chinese Communist Party’s military facilities near Taiwan before the event and said that China is trying to change the “status quo.”

McCaul quoted former US general Douglas MacArthur in defining Taiwan as “the unsinkable carrier” and said the general’s description was more prescient than he might have realized.

McCaul also announced that he would visit Taiwan again at the end of this month and address the situation of delayed US arms deliveries.

Representative to the US Alexander Yui （俞大?） said Lai had clearly stated Taiwan’s act of goodwill in terms of tourism and Chinese students, and called on Beijing to realize that it is speaking with a democratically elected president.

Beijing should not mistake cross-strait relations for cross-party relations and confine itself to dealing with one political party, Yui said.

Yui declined to comment on whether he would continue as a representative, saying: “If the president wants me on the job, I will stay on the job.”

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES