DISCURSO DEL PRESIDENTE
ALEJANDRO GIAMMATTEI
EN EL YUAN LEGISLATIVO
VISITA OFICIAL PRESIDENTE DE GUATEMALA
A LA REPÚBLICA DE CHINA (TAIWÁN)
GUATEMALA, MARTES 25 DE ABRIL DE 2023
Desde el Yuan Legislativo envié un mensaje al mundo sobre el respeto a la soberanía y profundicé el cariño de Guatemala hacia la República de China (Taiwán). #VisitaOficialTaiwán 🇬🇹🇹🇼 pic.twitter.com/NB6qAEPERq
— Alejandro Giammattei (@DrGiammattei) April 25, 2023
(VERSIÓN EN INGLÉS)
PRESIDENT’S SPEECH
ALEJANDRO GIAMMATTEI
AT THE LEGISLATIVE YUAN
OFFICIAL VISIT OF THE PRESIDENT OF GUATEMALA
TO THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN)
GUATEMALA, TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2023
BEFORE I START MY SPEECH, I’D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE PRESIDENT OF THE CONGRESS BECAUSE TODAY IS HIS BIRTHDAY.
I’M HONORED TO ADDRESS THE LEGISLATIVE YUAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF TAIWAN.
GREETINGS TO PRESIDENT TSAI ING-WEN AND THE HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THIS PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER; I REAFFIRM THE STEADFAST SUPPORT AND FRIENDSHIP OF THE PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT OF GUATEMALA.
THANK YOU FOR THIS KIND INVITATION.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF ADDRESSING THIS ASSEMBLY TO REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN OUR NATIONS FOR GUATEMALA.
A FRIENDSHIP I DECLARED WOULD EXIST IN MY GOVERNMENT WHEN I VISITED TAIWAN IN OCTOBER 2019 AS PRESIDENT-ELECT. I STATED THAT GUATEMALA AND TAIWAN WILL BE PARTNERS FOR MANY YEARS AHEAD. I’M HERE TO CONFIRM IT IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU.
I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE IS NO TIE STRONGER THAN AN OLD FRIENDSHIP.
AND OURS STARTED 89 YEARS AGO FOR MANY, BUT FOR US, SINCE 1909 WHEN THE HISTORY OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO REPUBLICS WAS REGISTERED.
THE COOPERATION RELATIONS STARTED IN 1934 WITH THE OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CONSULATE OF THE CHINESE REPUBLIC IN GUATEMALA AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF EMBASSIES IN EACH COUNTRY IN 1960.
ONCE AGAIN, MY FRIENDS, NO TIE IS STRONGER THAN AN OLD FRIENDSHIP.
AS LONG-STANDING STRATEGIC ALLIES, I REAFFIRM MY CONVICTION IN FRONT OF YOU.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE CULTIVATED FOR DECADES IS PROFOUND, NOT ONLY IN DIPLOMATIC TIES OR OFFICIAL CONTACTS BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE BUILT TRUST AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE NATIONS THROUGH COOPERATION AND EXCHANGE.
ONLY UNITED WE CAN FACE THESE TIMES OF POLITICAL TURBULENCE, ECONOMIC CRISES, CATASTROPHIC CLIMATIC EFFECTS, AND THREATS TO WORLD PEACE AND STABILITY.
I CALL UPON THE FREE WORLD INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO BE COMMITTED TO DEMANDING RESPECT FOR THE TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TAIWAN.
I URGE YOU TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THIS NATION.
LET’S STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE WHO ARE UNDER CONSTANT HARASSMENT FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TAIWAN STRAIT.
GUATEMALA IS A PEACEFUL COUNTRY.
THEREFORE, I DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE SILENCING OF WAR DRUMS.
I DEMAND AN END TO HOSTILITIES AND WARS, NOT ONLY HERE BUT ALSO IN OTHER AREAS OF THE WORLD THAT LIVE IN TERROR AND ANXIETY BECAUSE OF ARMED CONFLICTS, THE PRODUCT OF AUTHORITARIANISM, AMBITION, AND THE REFUSAL OF DIALOGUE AS A PATH TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES.
THAT IS NOT THE WAY.
HAS HISTORY TAUGHT US NOTHING?
DO WE HAVE NO MEMORY?
WHEN DID THE WORLD LOSE ITS MIND?
TODAY, BEFORE YOU, WITH PRIDE, I RESTATE GUATEMALA’S STANCE AS THE ONLY ALLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TAIWAN IN CENTRAL AMERICA. WE ARE THE LARGEST AND STRONGEST COUNTRY AND ECONOMY IN THE REGION.
FOR OVER THREE YEARS, AS A RESULT OF GUATEMALA’S HISTORICALLY STABLE MACROECONOMY, THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN PROMOTING THE COUNTRY AS A TOP-TIER INVESTMENT DESTINATION AND A NEARSHORING STRATEGY.
THIS STRATEGY HAS BEEN BOOSTED BY A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO CREATE AND PASS NEW LAWS THAT HAVE FACILITATED DOING BUSINESS FOR INVESTORS, PROVIDING LEGAL CERTAINTY AND A PLEASANT BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT.
THIS YEAR, DURING TWO SEPARATE EVALUATION VISITS, THE INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES FITCH RATINGS AND STANDARD AND POOR’S HAVE UPGRADED GUATEMALA’S CREDIT RATING TO BB WITH A STABLE OUTLOOK.
THIS IS THE RESULT OF APPROPRIATE MACROECONOMIC POLICIES, PRUDENT MANAGEMENT OF FISCAL POLICY AND LIQUIDITY, AND AN ENDORSEMENT BASED ON SOLID AND REAL BASES OF GUATEMALA’S ECONOMIC RELIABILITY.
THE REPUBLIC OF TAIWAN CLOSE COMMERCIAL TIES HAVE PROMPTED ATTENTION TO THE FAR EASTERN COMPANY, WHICH IS CONSIDERING GUATEMALA AS AN INVESTMENT DESTINATION. PLANS ARE ALSO UNDERWAY FOR A VISIT TO THE COMPANY LAKYMEN, WHICH REPRESENTS THE LARGEST TAIWANESE INVESTMENT IN GUATEMALA.
A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON NEARSHORING IS CURRENTLY UNDER DEVELOPMENT, INTENDING TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT FROM TAIWAN TO GUATEMALA.
A DELEGATION OF TAIWANESE BUSINESSMEN WAS RECEIVED IN MARCH THIS YEAR DURING A VISIT ORGANIZED BY THE TAIWAN EXTERNAL TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL TO SEE THE PROGRESS ACHIEVED BY MY COUNTRY.
THE MINISTRY OF ECONOMY OF GUATEMALA WILL CONDUCT A VISIT TO TAIWAN SOON, PROMOTING THE ADVANTAGES OF INVESTING IN GUATEMALA AND THE «PLAN GUATEMALA MOVING FORWARD.»
THIS PLAN AIMS TO ENHANCE THE COUNTRY’S EXPORTS AND FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT, ALLOWING OUR PARTNERS TO ESTABLISH OPERATIONS TO ENTER INTO THE CENTRAL AND LATIN AMERICAN REGION.
ALL THESE ACTIONS TO STRENGTHEN OUR STRONG TRADE RELATIONS WERE UNDERSCORED DURING THE EXTRAORDINARY, EMOTIONAL, AND PRODUCTIVE VISIT OF PRESIDENT TSAI TO GUATEMALA, WHICH TOOK PLACE BETWEEN MARCH 31 AND APRIL 2ND OF THIS YEAR.
THE COOPERATION BETWEEN GUATEMALA AND THE REPUBLIC OF TAIWAN IS BROAD AND DIVERSE. IT INCLUDES PROJECTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE, AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION, HEALTH AND MEDICINE, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES, SECURITY, TRANSPORTATION, CULTURE, AND INSTITUTIONAL STRENGTHENING.
BETWEEN 2013 AND 2021, THE REPUBLIC OF TAIWAN PROVIDED COOPERATION TO GUATEMALA FOR ROUGHLY 90 MILLION DOLLARS.
FOR OVER 15 YEARS, OUR ASIAN SISTER NATION HAS GRANTED SCHOLARSHIPS TO GUATEMALANS TO PURSUE UNDERGRADUATE, MASTER’S, AND DOCTORAL STUDIES. FOR OVER 15 YEARS, OUR ASIAN SISTER NATION HAS GRANTED SCHOLARSHIPS TO GUATEMALANS TO PURSUE UNDERGRADUATE, MASTER’S, AND DOCTORAL STUDIES. I AM GRATEFUL TO THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR PEOPLE PROFESSIONALLY. AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE ACADEMIC AMBASSADORS OF TAIWAN IN MY COUNTRY.
IN THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION, WE HAVE MANAGED EMBLEMATIC PROJECTS SUCH AS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CHIMALTENANGO NATIONAL HOSPITAL, CONSIDERED THE BEST IN CENTRAL AMERICA, AND THE MODERN NEONATOLOGY AREA OF THE GENERAL HOSPITAL SAN JUAN DE DIOS IN GUATEMALA CITY, TO NAME TWO OF THE MAIN PROJECTS.
FOR ALL THIS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU APPROVED IT.
HOW ELSE CAN A SOLID, STRONG, AND LASTING FRIENDSHIP BE BUILT IF NOT THROUGH ACTIONS THAT LEAD TO ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF BOTH NATIONS?
IN RECIPROCITY, GUATEMALA FIRMLY MAINTAINS ITS POSITION IN FAVOR OF RECOGNIZING TAIWAN AS A TRULY INDEPENDENT NATION, AND PROMOTES BEFORE THE UNITED NATIONS THE RIGHT OF TAIPEI TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS WORLD FORUM BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF INCLUSIVENESS AND UNIVERSALITY.
I COME FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN, FROM FAR AWAY, TO REAFFIRM THESE PRINCIPLES OF OUR FOREIGN POLICY. THIS IS A STRONG DEMONSTRATION OF SOLIDARITY, COMMITMENT TO DEFENDING SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, AND FIRM REJECTION OF FOREIGN AGGRESSION.
WITH A SIMILAR SPIRIT, IN JULY OF LAST YEAR, I BECAME THE FIRST HEAD OF STATE FROM LATIN AMERICA TO VISIT UKRAINE, WHICH HAS BEEN SUFFERING FROM THE INVASION WAR BY THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION SINCE FEBRUARY 2022.
WE MUST DEFEND PEACE.
WE MUST DEFEND SOVEREIGNTY.
WE MUST DEFEND THE RIGHT OF NATIONS TO INDEPENDENCE.
I THANK THE LEGISLATIVE YUAN FOR THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY THAT HAS BEEN BESTOWED UPON ME, WHICH I WILL HONOR AND COMMIT MYSELF TO CONTINUE PROMOTING FRIENDSHIP AND SOLIDARITY WITH THIS BELOVED REPUBLIC OF TAIWAN.
LET IT BE HEARD FAR AWAY.
WHILE OTHER NATIONS CHANGE THEIR POLICIES BASED ON FASHION, GUATEMALA REMAINS STEADFAST.
WHILE OTHER NATIONS CHOOSE SELF-INTEREST OVER FRIENDSHIP, GUATEMALA REMAINS FIRM.
WHILE OTHER NATIONS MANIPULATE WHAT IS RIGHT, GUATEMALA REMAINS STEADFAST.
WE REMAIN STRONG, BECAUSE IT’S ABOUT JUSTICE.
WE REMAIN FIRM, BECAUSE IT’S ABOUT RIGHTS.
WE REMAIN RESOLUTE, BECAUSE IT’S ABOUT AN OLD FRIENDSHIP, AND THERE IS NO STRONGER TIE THAN THAT.
LONG LIVE TAIWAN INDEPENDENT, SOVEREIGN, AND FREE.