KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – Taiwan’s Ambassador to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Fiona Huei-Chun Fan, says her country, which is celebrating its 1st National Day on Friday, “will neither provoke nor yield” to China.
China regards Taiwan as a renegade province and has vowed to bring it under the “One China” policy.
But speaking at a ceremony to mark the celebration, Fan said that the East Asian island, which lies between the East and South China Seas, stands at the frontline of defending democracy in the face of “constant challenges from Communist China through military intimidation, economic coercion, diplomatic suppression, and disinformation campaigns.
“Yet, Taiwan remains calm, determined, and resolute. We will neither provoke nor yield,” she said, adding that Taiwan will continue to defend its sovereignty, safeguard its democracy, and preserve peace and stability in the region.
Neither Taiwan nor the PRC (People’s Republic of China) is subordinate to the other. Taiwan’s future will always be determined by the will of its 23 million people,” the Taiwanese diplomat said.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines is among a handful of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that enjoy diplomatic relations with Taiwan. The others are St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, and Haiti.
“We will keep working with like-minded democracies, including St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains a region of peace, freedom, and shared prosperity,” Fan said.
She said that since Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines established diplomatic relations in 1981, the two countries have enjoyed a partnership built on mutual respect, shared prosperity, and unwavering faith in democratic values.
“We are especially grateful to Prime Minister (Ralph) Gonsalves for his impassioned call at the United Nations General Debate this past September, a powerful affirmation of Taiwan’s rightful place in the international community,” Fan said.
She also thanked Kingstown for its continued support in Taipei’s campaign to join the UN’s health, climate change, civil aviation, and crime prevention agencies.
Fan noted that Taiwan celebrates its 114th National Day just days before St. Vincent and the Grenadines marks its 46th anniversary of independence, saying, “We not only celebrate our shared history, we also celebrate our shared vision for the future.”
She said her country is the 22nd largest economy in the world, ranks sixth in global competitiveness, and fourth in economic freedom.
“Our exports have exceeded US$475 billion, and our GDP (gross domestic product)per capita now stands at US$34,000, a reflection of the hard work and resilience of our people.
“We are also proud to say that Taiwan is also a global digital partner, with our brand ASUS and ACER, etc., producing 70 per cent of laptops worldwide. Taiwan produces 90 per cent of the world’s AI (artificial intelligence) servers, placing us at the very heart of the global artificial intelligence supply chain.”
Fan said many of the world’s leading tech companies, including Google, Microsoft, and Micron, have established research and development centers in Taiwan, reaffirming Taiwan’s role as a trusted and indispensable partner in the digital age.
“But Taiwan’s technology is not meant for Taiwan alone. Our progress is meaningful only when it helps our allies grow with us, and nowhere is that more evident than here, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
She noted that the two countries have collaborated to install 320 CCTV cameras across St. Vincent and the Grenadines, supported by an AI-powered Police Security Analytics Center.
In agriculture, the Young Farmers Training Program, a three-year initiative, is designed to modernize local farming and strengthen climate resilience.
Through the use of IoT-based environmental controls and smart plant factories, 75 young Vincentian farmers will receive training in crop production, post-harvest handling, and agribusiness management.
And the top graduates will receive entrepreneurship coaching and seed funding to launch their own ventures.
Taiwan’s livestock project has doubled pig production and quality through the introduction of purebred animals, artificial insemination, and improved nutrition.
“And of course, one of the proudest achievements in our bilateral cooperation is the construction of the Arnos Vale Acute Care Hospital.”
Taiwan has lent St. Vincent and the Grenadines US$125 million, from which the government has awarded a US$78 million contract to a Taiwanese firm for the construction of the hospital.
“This hospital stands as a symbol of our friendship and our shared belief that good health is the foundation of national development.
“Out of the 12 buildings planned, two buildings for administration and pharmacy have already begun to rise, and another two for diagnostics and general ward will be structurally completed by the end of this year,” she said, adding that the project is slated to be completed over the next two years.
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