Vice President Hsiao inspects Malakal Island development plan and visits Palau National Aquaculture Center and giant clam conservation center

On the morning of June 9 local time (earlier in the morning of the same day Taipei time), Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao inspected the implementation of the Malakal Island development plan, after which she visited the Palau National Aquaculture Center and giant clam conservation center.

After arriving at Long Island Park, Vice President Hsiao first heard a briefing by CECI Engineering Consultants on their development plan for the park as well as their introduction to Malakal Island. Accompanied by Palau Minister of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism and Development Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl and Governor of Koror State Eyos Rudimch, the vice president then toured Long Island Park to better understand how Taiwan is assisting Palau in developing recreation facilities to be used by local residents and tourists.

The vice president and her party then visited the Palau National Aquaculture Center and giant clam conservation center. At the aquaculture center, they inspected the rabbitfish seedling and fish breeding areas, as well as the sea cucumber and milkfish breeding ponds. They also listened to an explanation of the milkfish breeding program by the Taiwan Technical Mission and fed the fish in the milkfish pond. They then walked to the giant clam conservation center, where the Palau Bureau of Fisheries explained the current status of giant clam conservation efforts, and saw firsthand Palau's achievements in aquaculture aimed at creating sustainable fisheries.

Before concluding her itinerary, the vice president also took questions from the media. She stated that one of the tasks of this visit is to understand and witness the results of past bilateral efforts and cooperation. She mentioned that during that day's visit to Long Island Park they heard the CECI Engineering Consultants team explain the relevant plans. She added that the team will continue to communicate with local residents in the future to ensure that all construction meets the needs of the local community and expressed hope that Palau will attract tourists not only with its marine scenery, but also by constructing facilities on land to create new attractions.

The vice president also stated that the Palau National Aquaculture Center and giant clam conservation center are focal points of Taiwan-Palau cooperation. Over the past few years, she said, the Taiwan Technical Mission in Palau has been cultivating edible fish species including milkfish, benefitting local economic development. Since Palau places great importance on marine conservation, promoting the aquaculture industry remains a key developmental direction in terms of edible fish supply. The vice president also mentioned that on the previous day President Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. personally explained to her his vision and plans for national development, which include promoting the aquaculture industry. She noted that President Whipps gave the example of milkfish, which he hopes can be used as bait for tuna in addition to being an edible fish species. In the future, she said, professional technical teams from Taiwan will continue to develop an industry model that balances Palau's ecology and economic needs.

Regarding the upcoming visit to the Belau National Hospital, the vice president pointed out that medical cooperation has always been an important area of collaboration between Taiwan and Palau, especially since both countries face labor shortages. She mentioned that Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀) has visited Palau many times to understand local medical needs. Over the past few years, she said, thanks to efforts by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan has continued to assist Palau in introducing new digital medical technologies, building digital infrastructure for telemedicine, and enhancing testing capacities. Whether it is a technical mission or medical team, she emphasized, it is clear that the cooperation between Taiwan and Palau has made tangible contributions to local residents, and it will continue to do so in the future.

The vice president said that she believes all Taiwanese take pride in this work, because Taiwan is a force for good in the world. She pointed out that Taiwan, in its foreign diplomacy efforts, uses soft power and technology to assist its allies in achieving sustainable development that meets the needs of local residents while developing together in mutual prosperity, which is also the focus of the Palau Prosperity Project.

Asked about the incident on June 8 in which a jeep was swept away by the rapidly rising waters of Fata'an Creek in Hualien, Taiwan, the vice president responded by stating that yesterday she had been monitoring the response to the incident. Fortunately, she said, with the full efforts of the search and rescue teams and the assistance of drones in the search, the trapped site manager has been successfully rescued, and is still receiving treatment in the hospital. She then wished him a speedy recovery.

The vice president pointed out that Taiwan has high mountains and swift rivers, and faces various disasters brought on by earthquakes and climate change. The Fata'an Creek barrier lake disaster last year highlighted the challenges posed by climate change and geography, she said, and from the perspective of whole-of-society defense resilience, Taiwan must build rapid disaster prevention, recovery, and relief capacities. The vice president said she also hopes to share the relevant experiences with our allies in the future, as island nations like Palau, she said, likewise face numerous challenges brought on by climate change.

The vice president also expressed concern over the gas explosion incident in Hsinchu and the flooding in various parts of Taiwan, stating that these accidents and disasters are heartbreaking. She also expressed gratitude to all the front-line personnel involved in rescue efforts, and emphasized that the disaster prevention capacities of Taiwanese society in dealing with various emergencies has always been an issue of great importance to President Lai Ching-te.

Palau Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Environment Steven Victor also attended these activities.