Foreign Minister Timothy Yang arrived in Saint Lucia Thursday at the start of a tour of four of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in Latin America and Africa, according to the Republic of China Embassy in St. Lucia.
Upon his arrival at the island state’s Hewanorra Airport, Yang was greeted by ROC Ambassador Tom Chou and St. Lucian Foreign Ministry official Clenie Greer-Lacascade, the embassy said in a statement.
It is the second time Yang has visited St. Lucia since he assumed office in 2009. During his stay, he will visit St. Lucia Governor-General Pearlette Louisy, Prime Minister Kenny Anthony and Foreign Minister Alva Baptiste.
In addition to reviewing the embassy operations, Yang will also inspect the projects the Taiwanese government has launched in the Caribbean nation to help promote agricultural development, the embassy said.
St. Lucia is the first stop of a series of state visits that will take Yang to three other countries — Nicaragua, Guatemala and The Gambia — where he will attend presidential inauguration ceremonies for Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega Jan. 10, Guatemalan President- elect Otto Perez’s inauguration Jan. 14 and Gambian President Yahya J.J. Jammeh’s inauguration Jan. 19. He is scheduled to return home Jan. 21.
(Source http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aIPL&ID=201201060025)
