Foreign minister presents e-buses while in Palau
‘STRONGER TOGETHER’: The buses would transport attendees to the Pacific Islands Forum, but would remain in operation in Palau for locals and tourists
By Esme Yeh / Staff writer, with CNA
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) on Sunday attended events held alongside the 55th Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, and witnessed the handover of “Made in Taiwan” electric buses.
Lin is leading a delegation visiting the Pacific island nation to meet with Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr and attend events held alongside the forum. The delegation arrived on Thursday last week and departs on Thursday.
Lin yesterday wrote on Facebook that he met with Whipps and Palauan Vice President and Minister of Health and Human Services Raynold Oilouch on Sunday.
A Taiwan-made electric bus is pictured in Palau on Sunday.
Screen grab from Minister of Foreign Affair Lin Chia-lung’s Facebook page
Together, they inspected solar power generation and storage systems and launched a Taiwan-Palau hydrogen energy cooperation initiative, he said.
The initiative is expected to assist Palau in meeting its energy independence targets, Lin said.
Installed under the One Stop Shop Building solar project, the solar power generation and storage systems would utilize Palau’s abundant sunlight to generate and store electricity to power government facilities and charge e-buses, he said.
That helps link power generation, energy storage and green transportation, he said.
Four Taiwan-made e-buses were officially handed over to Palau in a ribbon-cutting ceremony held after a music performance and a drone demonstration, he said.
Lin said he and Whipps took a test ride on one of the buses.
The buses would be used to transport national leaders and representatives traveling from across the Pacific to attend the forum, he said.
The buses would remain in service after the forum for locals and travelers, he added.
Lin and Whipps also participated in the opening of a golf-course landscaping demonstration park in Palau.
Lin said he hopes to build on Palau’s unique natural environment to create more opportunities for bilateral cooperation in sustainable tourism.
Whipps yesterday thanked Taiwan for cooperating with the Pacific island nation in fields such as education, healthcare, security, climate action and infrastructure, Lin said.
He cited Whipps as saying that such cooperative projects enhance the nation’s energy independence and environmental protection, creating more growth opportunities for Palauans.
Lin said it is his fifth time visiting the nation, adding that the Taiwan-Palau relationship feels more like family with each visit.
“We are truly stronger together,” he cited Whipps as saying.
Lin said Whipps’ words well illustrated the cooperation between the two countries.
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