Taiwan welcomes new SVG leader's pledge to maintain diplomatic ties

Taipei, Jan. 4 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on Sunday welcomed a recent pledge made by Saint Vincent and the Grenadines' new prime minister, Godwin Friday, that his government would maintain diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan).

Friday, who assumed office in late November 2025 as the Caribbean ally's leader, made the affirmation during a radio interview, according to a report in the Vincentian Newspaper on Jan. 2.

"Our diplomatic relations with Taiwan remain, as do our relations with all countries with which we have diplomatic ties," Friday was quoted as saying in the front page report.

"We have not changed our position with respect to any country," the prime minister said during an interview on Boom 106.9 FM, according to the Vincentian report.

Friday also reassured Vincentian students in Taiwan, many of whom are on scholarships from Taiwan's government, that their studies would not be affected.

Asked to comment on Friday's remarks, MOFA said in a statement to CNA that Taiwan "welcomes and appreciates" the SVG leader's open pledge to maintain his country's decades-long relations with Taiwan.

MOFA added that since Friday assumed office on Nov. 28, he has repeatedly affirmed that SVG's diplomatic ties with Taiwan will remain unchanged and has maintained close exchanges with Taiwan's embassy.

MOFA said it will continue close communications with the SVG government to deepen bilateral cooperation for the benefit of both peoples.

The ROC (Taiwan) established diplomatic relations with SVG in 1981.

Friday's New Democratic Party (NDP) has previously proposed switching recognition from Taipei to Beijing, although he did not publicly address the issue during the campaign.

He was sworn in after the NDP won 14 of the 15 parliamentary seats in last November's general election, ending Unity Labor Party leader Ralph Gonsalves' 24-year rule.