Amb. Miguel Li-jey Tsao
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
Republic of China (Taiwan)
October 30, 2020
(As Prepared for Delivery)
Good morning!
On behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I am honored to attend the opening of the Guatemala Coffee, Art & Culture Exhibition today. Just stepping into this venue, one is surrounded by the wonderful aroma of coffee and the rich diversity of Guatemalan culture. Coffee culture has swept across Taiwan in recent years. From high-value single-origin coffees to pocket friendly and popular convenience store brews, coffee has become as much a part of daily life for Taiwanese people as our traditional tea. At least one cup a day brings great delight, while a day without coffee can leave us all stressed out.
Ladies and gentlemen, take a guess: what do you call a coffee that's just been released from prison? The answer, of course, is “ex-preso”, which means ex-prisoner in Spanish! And I'm sure there's quite a few expresso lovers here today. But I also believe that once you taste the quality of Guatemala's fine coffee, you'll become a prisoner yourself to its rich and mellow flavor.
I'd like to convey special thanks to Ambassador Gómez for his effort and contribution to deepening cultural exchanges between our countries, through activities such as the Copa America Taiwan Football and Latin Food Festival and the Guatemalan Photographers Co-exhibition. I firmly believe that people-to-people cultural exchanges and understanding are the best way of bringing us closer together, and hope that the diplomatic partnership between Taiwan and Guatemala grows even richer as time goes by—just like your famous coffee!
With that, I wish this event every success, and the best of health and happiness to you all. Thank you!