President Lai meets Prime Minister Terrance Drew of Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

On the morning of November 14, President Lai Ching-te met with Prime Minister Terrance Drew of the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis and his wife. President Lai thanked St. Kitts and Nevis for its long-time support of Taiwan's international participation and for reiterating the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The president pointed out that our nations have continued deepening our mutually beneficial and prosperous partnership in such areas as agricultural development, medicine and public health, education, energy, and women's empowerment. He expressed hope that, as we continue forward together, we can jointly advance global prosperity and development.

A translation of President Lai's remarks follows:

I warmly welcome Prime Minister Drew and Mrs. Diani Jmesha Prince-Drew back to Taiwan. They led a delegation here soon after my inauguration last year, and during their visit, we exchanged many opinions on issues relating to bilateral cooperation. I am delighted to meet with you once again. This is Prime Minister Drew's third trip to Taiwan since he took office, clearly demonstrating St. Kitts and Nevis's high regard and support for Taiwan. On behalf of the entire nation, I extend our sincere welcome. I look forward to our two countries continuing to elevate diplomatic ties through close interactions.

I would also like to personally congratulate the prime minister on his being awarded the 2025 Most Influential People of African Descent Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognizes Prime Minister Drew's contributions to governance, social development, and international affairs as well as his work in raising the international standing of St. Kitts and Nevis. I hope Prime Minister Drew will make use of his international influence, and I wish St. Kitts and Nevis every success when it assumes the chairmanship of the Caribbean Community in the first half of next year.

In recent years, thanks to the support of Prime Minister Drew, our nations have continued deepening our mutually beneficial and prosperous partnership in such areas as agricultural development, medicine and public health, education, energy, and women's empowerment. Prime Minister Drew and I both have medical backgrounds. During his visit last year, we talked particularly about the outcomes of our countries' health care collaboration. The prime minister also shared his sustainable island state agenda. We are happy to work with St. Kitts and Nevis on the building of a higher-quality public health and medical care environment that benefits all citizens. And we will continue to share our experiences so as to help promote local energy transition and jointly advance sustainable development.

I understand that during this trip, Prime Minister Drew has signed a sister-city partnership agreement with Taipei and will be signing another with Tainan on behalf of his nation's capital city, Basseterre. These are symbols of our countries' developing ties - deepening from the state level to city level. These partnerships will make our bilateral cooperation closer and more in touch with the lives of our peoples. We also look forward to our nations making greater contributions to the world through a broader diversity of international cooperation.

I want to thank Prime Minister Drew for, at this year's United Nations General Assembly, once again urging the global community to support Taiwan's international participation and for reiterating the importance to world security of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. In the future, Taiwan and St. Kitts and Nevis will continue to support each other and respond to challenges together. And we will deepen cooperation with even more partners around the world so as to jointly advance global prosperity and development as we continue forward together. I wish you all a pleasant and successful visit.

Prime Minister Drew then delivered remarks, pointing out that our two countries have shared more than 40 years of unbroken friendship marked not simply by cooperation, but by trust, respect, and a genuine sense of shared purpose, and that it is a living relationship grounded in people and progress. He also noted that Taiwan has stood with St. Kitts and Nevis from the very beginning of its independence, and that in every chapter since, Taiwan has been a nation that invests deeply not only in infrastructure, technology, and development, but in people, this being nowhere more evident than in the hundreds of students from St. Kitts and Nevis who have passed through Taiwan's world-class universities.

St. Kitts and Nevis, the prime minister stated, will continue to stand firm in advocating Taiwan's meaningful inclusion in international bodies, including the World Health Organization and other critical agencies. They do so, he explained, because Taiwan's leadership strengthens the world, and the world deserves access to Taiwan's solution.

Prime Minister Drew said that our shared story is one of friendship maturing into partnership, and partnership growing into genuine brotherhood, and that we recognize in each other the values of democracy, dignity, and determination. He stated that as they continue to pursue their sustainable island state agenda, they do so with Taiwan beside them supporting their digital transformation, expanding renewable energy capacity, strengthening food security, enhancing health care, and empowering young people. He then thanked President Lai for his leadership, vision, and steadfast commitment to expanding the bonds between our peoples. He concluded by emphasizing that St. Kitts and Nevis stands with Taiwan today, tomorrow, and always, and that they remain ready to deepen cooperation in every sector where progress can be made and lives improved.

The delegation also included Minister of Foreign Affairs Denzil Douglas and Ambassador-at-Large Leon Natta-Nelson. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador Donya Francis.