Vincentian Prime Minister Arrives in Taiwan 聖文森總理來訪 表明反對大國威脅小國

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves arrived in Taiwan on Aug. 7 and was given a hearty welcome by President Tsai Ing-wen. 

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves is welcomed to Taiwan with a military salute. President Tsai Ing-wen is there to greet him in person, wearing a mask with the ROC and Vincentian flags. Tsai expressed her deepest gratitude to Gonsalves for not canceling his trip as cross-Strait tensions are on the rise.

Tsai Ing-wen, ROC President: “Prime Minister Gonsalves stated a few days ago that China's military exercises would not stop him from visiting his friends. We were extremely moved by this.”

This is Gonsalves' 12th trip to Taiwan and 11th as prime minister. He said Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are both island nations that value democracy and human rights, and neither likes when big and powerful countries threaten smaller countries. He also said all international conflicts should be resolved peacefully.

Ralph Gonsalves, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister: “We do not like it and we do not support it when any powerful neighbor seeks to intimidate us or bully us. Wherever there are differences we must settle them peacefully in a civilized manner.”

During a meeting between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and New Zealand's defense minister on the 8th, both reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Wendy Sherman, US Deputy Secretary of State: “So those of us in Washington DC have to remember how vast our country is -- how connected we are to both the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. So, those ties are critical to us.”

The U.S. sent Sherman on a tour of Pacific island nations after PRC Foreign Minister Wang Yi embarked on such a tour in May, to strengthen U.S. influence in the region.

以隆重軍禮歡迎聖文森及格瑞那丁總理龔薩福來台，總統蔡英文特別戴上兩國國旗圖樣的口罩，代表我國誠摯歡迎，尤其正值兩岸情勢緊張之際，蔡英文也表達感謝之意。

總統蔡英文表示：「尤其前幾天龔薩福總理閣下，也表達中國的軍演行動，不會阻止他拜訪朋友，讓我們非常感動。」

此行是龔薩福第12度訪問台灣，也是第11度以總理身分來訪。他表示，台灣和聖文森同為島國，享有民主和人權的價值，不支持大國恫嚇威脅，有任何歧見，應該和平解決國際爭端。

聖文森及格瑞那丁總理龔薩福說：「我們不喜歡也不支持大國以任何方式，去威脅去恫嚇威脅小的國家，不論國際當中有何歧見，我們都要用和平且文明的方式去解決。」

台海局勢國際高度矚目，美國副國務卿雪蔓近期出訪太平洋島國，並在8日於索羅門群島會晤紐西蘭國防部長，兩人在會中對解放軍近來大動作軍演表達關切，重申台海和平穩定的重要性。

美國副國務卿雪蔓表示：「所以我們這些華盛頓特區的人，必須記住我們的國家有多大，我們和太平洋、大西洋的聯繫有多緊密，所以這些聯繫對我們來說至關重要。」

中國近來積極拉攏太平洋地區島國，五月底中國外交部長王毅展開馬拉松式出訪行程，而美國也不敢鬆懈，雪蔓出訪的目的，就是希望強化美國區域連結與穩定，現在各國每一步舉措，都挑動兩岸敏感神經。