July 28, 2023
No. 246
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) held a signing ceremony on the morning of July 28 for the procurement contract of two coastal multipurpose boats donated by Taiwan to Tuvalu. The contract was signed by Ambassador of Tuvalu to Taiwan Bikenibeu Paeniu on behalf of the government of Tuvalu and by General Manager Hu Yen-lu of Karmin International on behalf of Taiwan. The signing was witnessed by Deputy Minister Tien Chung-kwang of MOFA, Chief Secretary Lin Chao-lun of the Coast Guard Administration of the Ocean Affairs Council, and Governor-General Tofinga Falani of Tuvalu.
Deputy Minister Tien said in his speech that Taiwan and Tuvalu signed an agreement on coastguard cooperation last September to assist Tuvalu in protecting marine resources, as well as to jointly combat maritime crime and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. He added that Taiwan’s donation of the two boats demonstrates its commitment to supporting Tuvalu in upholding its sovereignty and protecting its marine resources.
In his remarks, Ambassador Paeniu sincerely thanked Taiwan for donating the boats to Tuvalu. He also emphasized that illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in Tuvalu’s exclusive economic zone is rampant. And since both Taiwan and Tuvalu are island countries, he said that he hoped that they would continue to promote bilateral cooperation in areas such as maritime affairs and fisheries law enforcement.
Construction of the two boats will begin upon signing of the contract. They are expected to be completed and delivered by next March. Taiwan has donated two patrol boats each to its other diplomatic allies in the Pacific, namely the Marshall Islands, Palau, and Nauru. In the future, Taiwan will continue to expand coastguard cooperation with its four Pacific allies. Together with the assistance of the United States, Australia, Japan, and other like-minded countries, Taiwan will continue to promote cooperation to maintain peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. (E)