GUATEMALAN PRESIDENT HOPES FOR STRONG MUTUAL ECONOMIC TIES|蔡總統抵瓜地馬拉 瓜國總統要求援助

President Tsai Ing-wen met with President of Guatemala Jimmy Morales yesterday, who stated that Guatemala will maintain its friendship with Taiwan, but he also asked Taiwan to continue to provide his country with financial aids for infrastructure projects. This raised concerns over whether our relationship with Guatemala is truly bilaterally beneficial. In response, the Presidential Office said that such collaboration projects will help industries in Taiwan to participate internationally. Besides, the Guatemalan government has always supported Taiwan in joining international organizations. Here's our report from Guatemala. In his welcoming remarks for President Tsai Ing-wen, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales hoped to strengthen the two countries' diplomatic ties. He urged Taiwan to provide assistance in Guatemala's transportation and tourism infrastructure. President Tsai stressed that Taiwan will continue to uphold steadfast diplomacy and mutual assistance for mutual benefits while collaborating with its diplomatic allies. She stated that Taiwan is willing to discuss in details how the two countries will go about future collaboration projects. ==JIMMY MORALES President of Guatemala == As the President of Guatemala, I would like to urge your country to continue the support in our CA-9 Highway expansion project. ==TSAI ING-WEN R.O.C. President == We are willing to continue our support for future collaboration projects in Guatemala. In line with President Morales's focus on infrastructure, medicine and health, and education, Taiwan and Guatemala will discuss the plan for future bilateral collaborations. Although President Tsai stated that all collaboration projects will go through negotiations, her remarks have raised concerns about whether providing financial aids to expand Guatemala's CA-9 Highway will violate the principle of steadfast diplomacy and mutual assistance for mutual benefits. According to the Presidential Office, the expansion project will benefit local Taiwanese businesses and help related industries in Taiwan gain experiences in international collaborations. In addition, Guatemala has always helped Taiwan join international organizations. ==ALEX HUANG, R.O.C. Presidential Office Spokesperson== For example, the Guatemalan government is an active member under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Whenever they organize UNFCCC conferences, they would kindly invite Taiwan to participate. Such invitation has allowed Taiwan to be substantively engaged in international meetings. It shows that our bilateral relations have exemplified the principle of steadfast diplomacy and mutual assistance for mutual benefits. President Tsai's visit to Guatemala has been well received by Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales. President Morales stated that the two countries' bilateral relations have been strong, and he hoped to further strengthen the two countries' friendship. President Tsai's visit to Guatemala has certainly started off on the right foot. TRANSLATED BY：LUKE CHIANG 瓜地馬拉總統莫拉雷斯以隆重軍禮歡迎總統蔡英文到訪，莫拉雷斯致詞除了希望增進兩國邦誼，也希望台灣能在交通建設與觀光等方面給予協助。蔡英文致詞時強調我國外交未來將秉持踏實外交、互惠互助精神，和友邦共同推動科技、農技、基礎建設、與觀光等面向的合作計畫、以及擴大彼此的經濟貿易。對於瓜國的相關提案，蔡英文表示目前兩國相關合作案，我方「願意」持續推動，將「具體協商」確切合作計畫。 ==瓜地馬拉總統 莫拉雷斯== 本人身為瓜地馬拉總統 向貴國申請 繼續協助CA九號公路拓寬計畫 ==總統 蔡英文== 未來我們也願意 持續推動相關的合作計畫 在莫拉雷斯總統所提倡的 基礎建設醫療衛生跟教育 等三大施政主軸之下 台灣和瓜地馬拉具體協商 並且規劃了兩國的雙邊合作計畫 雖然蔡英文表示包括CA-九號公路第四階段在內各項合作計畫，將待具體協商規劃，不過已經引發外界質疑CA-九號公路第四階段對我國的互利性，是否違反蔡政府的踏實外交、互利互惠原則，總統府對此表示這條公路對我國在瓜國發展台商有幫助，並且過去經驗看來，相關工程可讓我國工程業者增進國際作業經驗與能量，而且瓜地馬拉向來對我國參與國際組織有熱心積極作為。 ==總統府發言人 黃重諺== 例如我們參加的 國際氣候變遷公約這樣的活動 瓜地馬拉政府 瓜地馬拉他們做為會員 他們也就組織了 一些相關的會議 在這會議也會邀請台灣參加 也就提供我們有機會 在這些重要的國際場合 可以實質的參與 所以這雙方其實是落實了 我們的踏實外交上所說的 互利互惠的這些基本原則 總統蔡英文來到瓜地馬拉訪問，而瓜地馬拉的總統莫拉雷斯，一開始就以友好的回應，說兩國的關係沒有問題，他也希望能夠更加加強，可以說蔡英文 這一次來到瓜地馬拉，一開始就有很好的回應。 記者 張志雄 林志堅 瓜地馬拉報導