President Lai receives St. Lucia deputy prime minister

2025/09/05

President Lai Ching-te said Sept. 3 that Taiwan is committed to expanding cooperation with St. Lucia while jointly promoting mutual prosperity and contributing to global development.
 
Lai made the remarks while receiving a delegation led by St. Lucia Deputy Prime Minister Ernest Hilaire, who concurrently serves as minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information. The visiting group included Emma Hippolyte, minister for Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs, and Joachim Andre Henry, minister for Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment. 
 
Taiwan and St. Lucia enjoy close collaboration in sectors spanning agriculture, education, infrastructure and public health, Lai said. The ally has had a strong focus on personnel cultivation and youth development since Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre took office in 2021, which aligns with Taiwan’s policies, the president added.
 
The two countries enjoy strong results in personnel cultivation and Lai cited the 2025 Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative and its Diplomatic Allies Inbound Track. The initiative was launched earlier this year and youths from both countries will take internships in the other’s country later this month.
 
In addition, an e-commerce platform was launched by Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) and St. Lucia’s Youth Economy Agency last month, Lai said, adding that the platform plays a key role in enhancing the ally’s digital transformation and facilitating its youths to create businesses to gain access to global markets.
 
President Lai thanked St. Lucia for its long-standing support for Taiwan’s international participation in global events. In response, Hilaire stated that St. Lucia supported a vision of independence, integrity of territory and sovereignty, as well as voicing support for Taiwan in the international arena.
 
Hilaire further thanked Taiwan for participating in small-scale community projects in St. Lucia that raise quality of life; and for its assistance in building and renovating Hewanorra International Airport and St. Jude Hospital. Taiwan is a true and firm friend of St. Lucia, he stated.


Source:  Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)