On November 14, Prime Minister of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, accompanied by Mrs. Diani Prince-Drew and their delegation, visited Tainan. They were welcomed by Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che, Deputy Mayor Yeh Tse-shan, and General-Directors of various city administration bureaus. During his visit, Prime Minister Drew witnessed the signing ceremony finalizing the sister city agreement between Basseterre and Tainan, which was signed by SKN Ambassador to Taiwan H.E. Donya Lynex Francis (on behalf of Basseterre City) and Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che.
Mayor Huang, in his welcome remarks, thanked the Prime Minister on behalf of the citizens for repeatedly speaking out for Taiwan on the global stage and strongly supporting Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. He noted that Tainan is honored by the visit and encouraged the guests to experience the city’s unique charm during their stay.
Mayor Huang also acknowledged the efforts of Ambassador H.E. Donya Lynex Francis and R.O.C. Ambassador to Saint Kitts and Nevis Edward Lin-Wen Tao in facilitating this sister city partnership. He pointed out that this relationship between Basseterre and Tainan is especially significant as the two historical cities share many similarities. Both are the oldest city in their respective countries, and Tainan was Taiwan’s capital for 300 years while Basseterre is the current capital of St. Kitts and Nevis. The Mayor expressed optimism about further cooperation in city governance, culture, education, and the economy to deepen ties between Taiwan and St. Kitts and Nevis.
Prime Minister Drew responded that Taiwan is a small yet powerful nation, and this characteristic is even more pronounced in Tainan. Sister cities Tainan and Basseterre both have rich histories and the strength of the old capitals can be seen in the carefully preserved historical sites in Tainan as well as the two ancient forts in Basseterre City. The Prime Minister also noted a shared cultural connection through Tainan’s internationally renowned mangoes and St. Kitts and Nevis’ Mango Festival. He remarked that such similarities make the sister city relationship both natural and meaningful.
The Prime Minister then pointed out that currently, there are many Kittian students studying in Tainan, especially in the field of mechanical engineering. These experiences and friendships gained in Tainan later become a significant driving force in SKN’s ongoing development. He stressed that small countries can still have great ambitions. St. Kitts and Nevis and Taiwan have already achieved much in the past together, and he expressed his hope for deeper collaboration to benefit the citizens of both nations.
Located on the southwest coast of St. Kitts Island, Basseterre, which is French for “low land”, is the largest city and capital of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Taiwan established formal diplomatic ties with St. Kitts and Nevis in 1983, being the first country to establish formal diplomatic relations with SKN following its independence. The two nations continue to share a strong partnership.