Saint Lucian minister of commerce visits Taiwan

Taipei, Feb. 25 (CNA) Saint Lucian Minister of Commerce Emma Hippolyte is leading a delegation on a six-day trip to Taiwan starting Sunday to enhance bilateral trade and investment relations, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Hippolyte's delegation also includes her colleague, Permanent Secretary Sophia Alfay-Henry at the Ministry of Commerce, and Sunita Daniel, chief executive officer of Export Saint Lucia, which is Caribbean ally's National Trade Export and Promotion Agency, MOFA said in a press release.

During their stay until March 1, the delegates will pay a visit to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Digital Affairs, and Taiwan External Trade Development Council, among other places.

They will be welcomed by Vice Foreign Minister Remus Chen (陳立國) at a banquet, MOFA said.

It is the second time Hippolyte has come to Taiwan for a visit, it added.

Taiwan, officially named the Republic of China (ROC), first established full diplomatic relations with Saint Lucia in 1984 before the latter cut ties with Taipei in favor of Beijing in 1997.

The Caribbean country re-established ties with the ROC in 2007 after ditching China. Both sides have maintained relations since.

It is one of only four diplomatic allies of the ROC in the Caribbean, together with Haiti, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and one of 12 sovereign states in the world that has diplomatic ties with Taipei instead of Beijing.