Jaushieh Joseph Wu
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
July 26, 2023
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Good morning!
On behalf of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), it is a great pleasure to confer the Friendship Medal of Diplomacy upon Representative Caspi in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the enhancement of the Taiwan-Israel partnership.
Representative Caspi began his tenure at ISECO in 2019. Since that time, he has dedicated himself to broadening and deepening friendly ties between the governments and peoples of our two countries. He has actively engaged with all sectors of Taiwan’s society, strengthening bilateral relations in the fields of culture, education, and social welfare. Under his leadership, ISECO has continued to enhance Taiwanese people’s understanding of and interest in Israel.
Thanks to Representative Caspi’s commitment, the mutually beneficial cooperation between Taiwan and Israel has grown closer than ever. Our nations have signed seven agreements since Representative Caspi assumed his position. Just two months ago, we signed the Agreement on a Working Holiday Scheme between Taiwan and Israel to promote youth exchanges.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the mutual establishment of representative offices in Taiwan and Israel. To celebrate our robust friendship, Taiwan and Israel are engaging in a wide range of activities. ISECO held the Meet Israel through Taiwanese Eyes photography exhibition in February and will host an academic seminar in October. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked with Tamkang University to organize an academic and cultural forum in June. And earlier this month, we received the delegation from the Argov Fellows Program in Leadership and Diplomacy at Reichman University, opening up new opportunities for young people from Taiwan and Israel.
The conferment of the Friendship Medal of Diplomacy upon Representative Caspi honors the important work that he has done to advance bilateral ties, as well as underscoring the fact that the friendship between our countries is strong and lasting. I extend my sincere appreciation to Representative Caspi for his exceptional contributions.
In closing, I am confident that bilateral cooperation will continue to grow and flourish in the years ahead. Representative Caspi, I wish you a safe journey back home and the best of health, happiness, and success in the future. Thank you!