Relationship between St Kitts and Nevis
And the Republic of China (Taiwan)
~~Adz:Right~~ The Federation of St Kitts and Nevis and the Republic of China on Taiwan (ROC) have enjoyed a friendship which spans more than twenty-five years of independence. In October 1983, the Republic of China (Taiwan) was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with our young nation.
The Republic of China maintains an Embassy in each of the allied countries, St Kitts and Nevis being no exception. In a spirit of reciprocity, in January 2008, to demonstrate the Government’s commitment to the mutually beneficial relationship, the Government of St Kitts and Nevis established an Embassy in Taipei, the capital of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
Our relationship with the ROC revolves principally on cooperation programmes including community development, agriculture, education and training and cultural exchanges.
The focus of the Taiwanese Agricultural Mission includes Crop Development, Exotic Fruit Trees, Pineapple, Agro-Processing and Floriculture. The work of the Mission is to share best practices in farming and to develop sustainable management and increase the unit yield to promote productivity.
Visits between high-level officials have been frequent. In August 2001, the Republic of China’s Premier Chang Chung-Hsiung visited the Federation in an attempt to deepen relations between our two countries. Since that time, President Chen Shui-Bian has also visited as well as the Prime Minister of the ROC. The Hon Dr Denzil Douglas, Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis has also headed a number of delegations to the ROC over the years.
The Communiqué signed between leaders of the Federation and the ROC during the visit of the Premier reiterated their commitment to continue to intensify the cooperation – on the one hand, supporting the ROC in pursuit of membership in the United Nations as well as the World Health Organization and on the other, to increase cooperation to the Federation in the areas of economic, agricultural and technological assistance, through the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF).
The Republic of China (Taiwan) has been one of the Federation’s most loyal friends since its independence almost twenty-five years ago and the degree of assistance is evident through a plethora of projects and cooperation programmes which have been facilitated by the efficient and resourceful Ambassadors and staff (past and current) at the Embassy at Taylor’s Range, Basseterre. Such projects include, but are not limited to the extension of the runway at the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw International Airport, construction of the Warner Park Cricket Stadium, the new Athletic Stadium at Bird Rock where the Thirty Seventh CARIFTA Games will be hosted this coming Easter weekend and several Community Centres throughout the Federation.
In addition, the ROC Government has assisted in the establishment of the e-Government web portal, which became fully functional this week. Honourable mention must also be made of the offer of full scholarships to nationals of St Kitts and Nevis at secondary and tertiary levels, and several of our citizens have benefited from the annual seminars in Diplomacy and National Development held in Taipei.
St Kitts and Nevis is grateful for the longstanding support Taiwan has given to the Federation and looks forward to a strengthening of the deep fraternal bonds of friendship and goodwill.
The recent attempt by the Democrat Newspaper to embroil the Government and people of Taiwan is unfortunate. St Kitts and Nevis is a democratic country lead by a Prime Minister who continues to enjoy wide support from his people and the regional and international communities.
It was only in 2004 October that the popular Labour Party was re-elected for the third consecutive time to form the government of St Kitts and Nevis.
There is no dictatorship in St Kitts and Nevis. St Kitts and Nevis has a vibrant democracy under the charismatic leadership of the Hon Dr Denzil Llewellyn Douglas. There is no dictatorship in our beautiful Federation.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Government Headquarters
