President Lai Ching-te Meets Saint Lucia Deputy Prime Minister Ernest Hilaire

On the afternoon of September 3, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Saint Lucia Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information Ernest Hilaire. President Lai thanked Saint Lucia for long supporting Taiwan's international participation, and expressed hope that the two countries will continue to expand and diversify collaboration.

President Lai extended a warm welcome to Deputy Prime Minister Hilaire as he led a delegation to Taiwan once again, noting that their previous meeting was in 2023 when he was serving as vice president. He also expressed delight in meeting with Minister for Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Emma Hippolyte and Minister for Equity, Social Justice and Empowerment Joachim Andre Henry.

In recent years, Taiwan and Saint Lucia have cooperated ever more closely in such areas as agriculture, education, public health, and infrastructure, further deepening their diplomatic alliance. Since taking office, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has focused especially on education, talent cultivation, and youth development — goals that align closely with Taiwan's policy position.

Cooperation between Taiwan and Saint Lucia to nurture talent has already yielded fruitful results. In June, President Lai met a PhD graduate from Saint Lucia at Central Police University's graduation ceremony. This year, Taiwan launched the Taiwan Global Pathfinders Initiative and its Diplomatic Allies Inbound Track — through which three young Taiwanese will travel to Saint Lucia for internships in government agencies, and two young Saint Lucians will come to Taiwan for internships in agriculture and tourism.

Last month, Taiwan's International Cooperation and Development Fund and Saint Lucia's Youth Economy Agency jointly launched an e-commerce platform — an important step forward for the digital transition, helping boost the entrepreneurial opportunities of Saint Lucian youth as they enter the international market.

Deputy Prime Minister Hilaire emphasized that Saint Lucia remains steadfast in its support of Taiwan's aspiration for national independence, territorial integrity, and sovereignty. He noted that Taiwan's friendship is not only visible in diplomacy, but in the everyday lives of Saint Lucia's people — through small-scale community projects that have touched the very fabric of his country's society, improving livelihoods and enhancing opportunities.

He highlighted Taiwan's central role in Saint Lucia's national development, most notably through partnership in the Hewanorra International Airport's redevelopment and the St. Jude Hospital project — projects that will continue to shape the trajectory of Saint Lucia for generations to come.

Deputy Prime Minister Hilaire affirmed Saint Lucia's commitment to walk in this journey with Taiwan, hand in hand, as partners and as friends — a bond built not only on shared interests, but on shared values of dignity, sovereignty, and human progress. He expressed hope that Taiwan's light of resilience, innovation, and cultural richness may shine ever brighter on the global stage. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by Saint Lucia Ambassador Robert Kennedy Lewis.