October 13, 2014
Press Release No. 224
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Vanessa Y. P. Shih chaired the opening ceremony on October 13 of the Taipei session of the 2014 Pacific Islands Leadership Program, co-organized by the Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs (IDIA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the East-West Center, a US think tank based in Hawaii. The ceremony, hosted by the IDIA, was followed by a reception for the participants. Also attending were ambassadors from the diplomatic allies of Nauru, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, and Palau; Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie; and representatives from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).
In her remarks, Vice Minister Shih noted that South Pacific island countries possess vast exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and bountiful fishery and marine resources, thereby commanding great influence in the international community. The US policy of rebalancing to Asia also underscores the importance of Pacific nations. Taiwan is an island itself and a neighbor to the Pacific island countries. To maintain peace and security in the nearby East China Sea, President Ma Ying-jeou proposed the East China Sea Peace Initiative in 2012, which advocates the shelving of sovereignty disputes and the joint exploration of resources. This initiative has been recognized in the international community, including by US Secretary of State John Kerry. The ROC government expects that this cooperation project will help strengthen its substantive relations with the United States. The ROC also hopes, through this program, to share its development experience in the fields of politics, economy, and environmental protection with Pacific island nations, and to set a new milestone in the trilateral collaboration among Taiwan, the US, and Pacific island countries.
Ambassador Ludwig Dowong Keke of Nauru congratulated the participants on being selected for the training course and thanked the ROC government and the East-West Center for making this program possible. He also expressed the hope that the trainees will develop vision and leadership capabilities, and help establish a platform for young Pacific leaders to work for the future of all island people together.
In his speech, Governor Abercrombie stressed that the participants are the future of the Pacific islands, and that they should cultivate decision-making capabilities and vision to make themselves world-class leaders, so that they can better address the challenges to be encountered over the next few decades.
AIT Political Section Chief William Klein lauded the program as being very meaningful. He indicated that, as Taiwan is an important strategic partner to the US, the US would engage in further cooperation with Taiwan to assist in the economic, educational, social and political development of the Pacific islands so as to forge a better future for the residents thereof.
The IDIA and the East-West Center signed a memorandum of understanding on December 13, 2012, to provide training to 125 South Pacific youth leaders over the succeeding five years. Last year the first group of participants completed their training, and this year 26 youth leaders from 13 countries in the Pacific have joined their ranks. The second group has finished an eight-week leadership training course in Honolulu, and on October 11 started a four-week practical training course in Taipei. (E)