Taipei, July 22 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said Monday after returning from a 12-day trip to the United States and the Caribbean that her visit strengthened Taiwan's ties with the countries she visited.
Speaking after arriving at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Tsai said her stops in the U.S. were longer than in the past, allowing her to exchange ideas with U.S. officials and scholars and members of think tanks, scientific research institutions and the business sector.
"Some say they have seen the U.S.-Taiwan relationship upgraded, but I think 'deepened' would be the right word to describe current bilateral relations," she said.
On her tour of Taiwan's four Caribbean allies, Tsai said that by visiting Haiti, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia in person, she gained a deeper understanding of the cooperation between Taiwan and the four countries.
Tsai said she discussed topics such as democratic development and ethnic issues in those countries, as they are all emerging democracies and share similar historical experiences with Taiwan.
The president praised the continuous support the Caribbean allies have shown Taiwan, saying that without such support, Taiwan would not be heard on the world stage.
Diplomacy should be mutually beneficial, and while Taiwan has the ability to help other countries, Taiwan in turn needs other nations' support to be heard internationally, she said.
Tsai left Taiwan on July 11 for New York, and after a two-night stay there, she spent five nights in the four Caribbean allies before finishing her trip with a two-night stay in Denver, Colorado.
http://focustaiwan.tw/news/aipl/201907220013.aspx
