Nauru President Scotty and officials pay state visit

This article was written by Shih Ying-ying and published by the Taiwan Journal on March 10, 2006. It reports that Nauruan President Ludwig Scotty recently arrived in Taiwan for a six-day state visit. The trip marked Scotty's first visit to Taiwan since the two countries resumed formal diplomatic relations in May 2005.

During his visit, Scotty exchanged views with President Chen Shui-bian on the international situation, matters of mutual concern and cooperative projects. The Nauruan delegation also toured various government-sponsored vocational training centers and agricultural development projects in southern Taiwan, and attended a state banquet in Kaohsiung City.

Taiwan and Nauru had been allies for 22 years before former Nauruan President Rene Harris shifted diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China in 2002. It was reported that China offered Nauru US$130 million in financial aid.

Since the re-establishment of diplomatic ties in 2005, Taiwan and Nauru have restarted exchanges and cooperation in various fields, including cultural activities, education, agriculture, fishery, aquaculture, tourism and health care. These collaborative projects have been of significant help in strengthening the ties between the two countries.

Nauru is situated in the South Pacific near the equator. With an area of just 21.3 square kilometers and a population of 12,800, the island state is a member of various international organizations, including the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the Asian Development Bank.