By Admin. Updated 8:22 p.m., Thursday, August 13, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Republic of China (Taiwan) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations as the two countries marked 45 years of diplomatic ties.
Prime Minister Dr Godwin Friday and Taiwan’s President Dr Lai Ching-te highlighted the importance of the longstanding relationship during a cocktail reception in Taipei on Wednesday to commemorate the milestone.
“Mr President, our relationship has evolved to be more than friendship; it is partnership,” Prime Minister Friday said, as he reflected on the journey between Kingstown and Taipei since diplomatic relations were established on 12 August 1981.
Dr Friday, who is leading a nine-member delegation on an official visit to Taiwan, said he hoped that by the 50th anniversary of relations, both countries would be able to point to deeper cooperation, stronger people-to-people connections and increased opportunities for businesses, young people and institutions.
“My hope is that when our countries gather for the 50th anniversary, we will be able to say that our relationship has grown five years deeper, with new ways of interaction between our people and governments,” he said.
President Lai said both countries were committed to expanding the friendship between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Taiwan.
“Prime Minister Friday and I are both very determined to broaden the horizons of the friendship between our countries as we look forward to an even more brilliant 45 years ahead,” President Lai said.
Prime Minister Friday noted that the relationship had developed significantly since Taiwan and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines established formal diplomatic ties, describing the partnership as one built through consistent efforts by successive leaders and citizens of both nations.
“The world of 1981, when we joined hands diplomatically, is not the world in which we gather tonight,” he said, adding that both countries had changed considerably over the past four and a half decades.
The Prime Minister praised Taiwan’s economic and technological advancement, as well as its investments in education, healthcare and human development.
He said Taiwan’s achievements were the result of deliberate planning, hard work and investment in its people, particularly young citizens.
Dr Friday also highlighted the role of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ embassy in Taipei, which he said has provided Kingstown with a permanent presence in Taiwan and strengthened the connection between the two peoples.
He recognised Ambassador Kenton Chance and staff at the embassy for their work in representing Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, supporting Vincentian nationals in Taiwan and advancing bilateral cooperation.
The Prime Minister said the strength of the relationship had been demonstrated during periods of difficulty, including natural disasters and economic challenges, when both countries had supported each other.
He also pointed to the growth of people-to-people ties, including Vincentians studying, working and living in Taiwan, Taiwanese technical officers supporting development initiatives in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and friendships and family connections formed over the years.
“Perhaps most notably, it involves the countless personal friendships and family relationships that have developed over the years among our people, sharing language and culture, and who have together learned over those 45 years that a country on the other side of the world need not be strangers and need not feel so far away,” Dr Friday said.
He thanked Taiwan for its support over the past 45 years and said Saint Vincent and the Grenadines remained committed to the partnership.
The anniversary celebrations formed part of Prime Minister Friday’s first intercontinental official visit since taking office following the November elections.
The visit comes as relations between Kingstown and Taipei continue after 45 years of diplomatic engagement, cooperation and exchanges between the two countries.
END
