Palau: President Lai Ching-te (???) told the Palauan National Congress on Thursday that both Taiwan and the Pacific Island nation were "democratic bastions" and that he looked forward to continued cooperation to bring prosperity to both countries. According to Focus Taiwan, President Lai emphasized that Taiwan and Palau are significant democratic forces opposing the expansion of authoritarianism. He noted that the two nations have upheld the values of democracy and freedom throughout their partnership. Taiwan and Palau, who marked the 25th anniversary of their formal diplomatic ties this year, have engaged in beneficial exchanges in addressing climate change, enhancing education, and promoting business and tourism, Lai stated. He expressed gratitude to the Palauan legislature for its enduring support for Taiwan's participation in international matters, which has allowed Taiwan to contribute to global issues like public health, climate change, aviation safety, and transnational crimes. Lai announced a new a id initiative for Palau, pledging support to improve the Palauan legislature's audiovisual and cybersecurity infrastructure and to implement an electronic voting system. He expressed hope that this project would serve as a "model" for digital transformation in the South Pacific, fostering prosperity for both Taiwan and Palau. The address came after bilateral discussions between Lai and Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr. at the latter's office. Lai arrived in Palau on Thursday afternoon as the final leg of his weeklong South Pacific tour, which included visits to Hawaii, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Guam. This trip marked Lai's first overseas visit as president since he departed on Nov. 30 (Taipei time). He is scheduled to return home on Friday evening.
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