Celebrating Taiwan-Palau 25th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations
The Water Games Festival A Resounding Success
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Republic of Palau, the Taiwanese Embassy in Palau, in collaboration with the Ministry of State, Ministry of Human Resources, Culture. Tourism, and Development, Palau National Olympic Committee, Palau Visitors Authority, and the Koror State Government, hosted the grand ” Water Games Festival ” on June 9th. The event saw enthusiastic participation from over 30 teams, including the ROC (Taiwan) Embassy Team Taiwan, Palau Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of State, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Agriculture, the States of Koror, Airai, Ngaraard, Kayangel, and Tobi, as well as the U.S., Australian, and Japanese Embassies and JICA. Each team showcased high morale echoing the event’s captivating charm and appeal.
Despite the gloomy rainy weather in Koror State, over 200 attendees, including VIPs, participating teams, overseas compatriots, and Palauan citizens, braved the weather to join the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Taiwan-Palau diplomatic relations, a truly moving sight. Ambassador Jessica Lee, Vice President Uduch Sengebau Senior, Speaker of the House Sabino Anastacio, Delegate Warren Umetaro, Minister of State Gustav Aitaro, Minister of Agriculture Steven Victor, President of the Palau National Olympic Committee Frank Kyota, representatives from the tourism department, ambassadors from the U.S., Japan, and Australia, along with governors from Koror, Airai, and Kayangel States, attended the event in full, highlighting the strong bilateral ties between Taiwan and Palau, and like-minded countries.
In her speech, Ambassador Lee expressed that both Taiwan and Palau are maritime nations. Celebrating Palau’s 30th anniversary of independence and the 25th anniversary of Taiwan-Palau diplomatic relations with water sports symbolizes unity and friendship. Through these competitions, we experience the vast ocean, the Pacific, which tightly connects us, implying the endless friendship and shared values between Taiwan and Palau. The event also honors the solid cultural history and objectives shared by Taiwan and Palau over the past quarter-century. Ambassador Lee thanked all the Palauan government agencies, the Taiwan Embassy, and technical teams for their joint efforts in planning and executing the event.
Vice President Senior noted that Taiwan and Palau are like-minded countries, sharing core values of freedom, democracy, and human rights. She thanked the embassy and related Palauan agencies for fully supporting the event, once again demonstrating the brotherly friendship and rock-solid diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Palau. Vice President Senior also declared June 9th as Taiwan-Palau Water Games Festival Day.
The competitions began with the traditional Palauan TOTANG boat race, with teams circling the waterway amid cheers from the shore. Contestants then sprinted to the finish line, with Koror State taking first place, followed by Airai and the Ministry of Agriculture in second and third.
Next were the 25-meter swimming, stand-up paddling, and single and double kayak relays. Despite the heavy rain, participants were highly spirited, and the cheering from the shore kept the excitement high. The U.S. and Australian ambassadors, along with the Taiwan Embassy Minister Franklin Chen, joined in the relay race. The winners are Koror State, Australia, the U.S., the Ministry of Justice, and the Palau Royal Resort.
Taiwan Embassy and the organizers prepared generous cash prizes for the traditional TOTANG competition and allowed the public to vote for the best boat design and team spirit awards. The relay race winners received beautifully crafted paddle trophies sponsored by Taiwan Embassy, engraved with the 25th-anniversary emblem of Taiwan-Palau diplomatic relations, adding to the event’s significance.
The event lasted for four hours, filled with excitement, cheers, and applause for the winning teams. The embassy and organizers provided exquisite lunches and commemorative sports towels celebrating the 25th anniversary of Taiwan-Palau diplomatic relations. Guests, contestants, and attendees cherished these mementos, and the event concluded successfully, with all participants leaving fulfilled. This event highlighted the positive significance of the celebration, underscoring the steadfast diplomatic ties and vibrant, multifaceted, and grassroots connections marking the 25th anniversary of Taiwan-Palau relations. (E)