H.E. Edward Tao, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to St. Christopher and Nevis, met with Dr. the Right Honourable Sir Kennedy A. Simmonds, the country’s National Hero and first Prime Minister, at the Embassy on August 27.

During the meeting, Ambassador Tao conveyed the sincere regards of the Government and people of Taiwan to Sir Kennedy and highly praised his foresight. Ambassador Tao noted that Sir Kennedy, after leading the nation to independence in 1983, immediately chose to establish diplomatic relations with Taiwan, making Taiwan the Federation’s first diplomatic ally. This act laid the foundation for the two countries’ decades-long solid friendship.

Ambassador Tao also highlighted that Sir Kennedy, like ROC (Taiwan)’s founding father Dr. Sun Yat-sen, was a medical professional who dedicated his career to humanitarian service and nation building. This shared historical commonality underscores the unique bond between the two countries.

In their conversation, Sir Kennedy particularly acknowledged the fruitful cooperation between Taiwan and St. Kitts and Nevis in the fields of agriculture, education, and health. He recalled that the rice cultivation project he promoted during his term was highly popular among Kittitian and Nevisian farmers and consumers. Due to its abundant yield, the rice was even exported to neighboring Caribbean countries. He also shared his experiences from his two visits to Taiwan in 1983 and 1990, highly commending Taiwan’s “Ten Major Construction Projects” for successfully driving Taiwan’s economic transformation.

Despite his advancing age, Sir Kennedy Simmonds remains an avid reader and an agile tennis player, showcasing the unwavering spirit of a true leader. He expressed deep concern over the situation in the Taiwan Strait and the island republic’s international standing, and he is confident that St. Kitts and Nevis will continue to offer Taiwan its strongest support in the international community.