By Admin. Updated 12:36 p.m., Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Prime Minister Dr the Hon. Godwin Friday was formally welcomed by Taiwan’s President, Lai Ching-te, with full military honours and a 19-gun salute in Taipei on Tuesday as his official state visit got under way.
The ceremonial reception took place at the Presidential Office Plaza and forms part of Prime Minister Friday’s visit to Taiwan as the two countries mark the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
According to the Embassy of Taiwan in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the visit underscores the long-standing partnership between the two nations and their shared commitment to strengthening cooperation across several key areas.
During the visit, which is his first official visit to the Asian nation since becoming Prime Minister on November 28, 2025, Dr. Friday described Taiwan as a “people-centred” nation, saying its success demonstrates that a country’s development is not determined by its size but by its investment in people and innovation.
The embassy also highlighted St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ continued support for Taiwan in international forums. It quoted Prime Minister Friday as saying, “We are glad to do so, and willing to do more,” while describing both countries as custodians of a friendship that has endured for 45 years.
The two sides also pointed to shared priorities for future development. According to the embassy, Prime Minister Friday’s focus on agriculture, tourism, the blue economy and the new economy aligns closely with Taiwan’s Diplomatic Prosperity Project, through which Taiwan has pledged continued support for St. Vincent and the Grenadines through investment, skills development and industrial cooperation.
The embassy said the 45th anniversary represents not only a significant diplomatic milestone but also the beginning of a new phase of collaboration, with both countries seeking to deepen ties based on their shared values of democracy and freedom.
A major highlight of the visit is an audience with HE. Dr. Lai Ching-te, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan). The two leaders will discuss the longstanding relationship between the two countries and opportunities to deepen cooperation.
According to a press release from the Office of the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, another highlight will be a luncheon of the Prime Minister’s delegation and the Vincentian community in Taiwan, during which the Prime Minister will deliver the featured address and respond to questions from the Vincentian diaspora in Taiwan.
“The visit will have a strong economic focus, including an investor roundtable bringing together the Vincentian delegation and prospective Taiwanese investors. Prime Minister Friday and his delegation will also undertake a series of official engagements focused on agriculture, the blue economy, technology, sustainable development and other areas aligned with the government’s priorities for economic growth and job creation,” the release stated.
Prime Minister Friday said the visit presents an opportunity to honour a friendship that has spanned almost the entire existence of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as an independent nation, while giving renewed attention to what the relationship can deliver in the years ahead, according to the press release from the Office of the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Prime Minister said:
“Forty-five years is an important milestone, but this visit is also about looking forward. We value the friendship that has developed between our countries, and we now have an opportunity to build on that foundation in ways that create greater opportunities for our people and support the development of St Vincent and the Grenadines.”
Prime Minister Friday is leading an official delegation to Taiwan as part of the commemorative visit, which is expected to include high-level meetings aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation between the two longstanding diplomatic partners.
The members of the delegation are: the Prime Minister’s Spouse, Mrs Ave Friday; Attorney General Hon. Louise Mitchell; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investments and Diaspora Affairs, Hon. Dwight Fitzgerald Bramble; Ambassador for Finance, Climate and Investment, Ambassador Kevin Hope; Press Secretary Danielle Veira; Research Officer Addison Thomas; and Close Protection Officers Corporal of Police Desrick Quashie and Police Constable Twana Da Silva.
Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Major St. Clair Leacock is acting as Prime Minister during Prime Minister Friday’s absence from the State.
Prime Minister Friday and his delegation are expected to return to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Sunday, August 16, 2026.
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