The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) today said that two of its patrol vessels have docked at Palau’s Malakal Harbor as part of an expedition exercise and diplomatic visit, during which a senior official is expected to meet with the Palauan president.
The two vessels, the 4,000-tonne-class Chiayi (嘉義) and the 1,000-tonne-class Penghu (澎湖), set sail for Palau from Taiwan last week and arrived at Malakal Harbor yesterday, the CGA’s Fleet Branch said in a statement.
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
The journey marked the second time the CGA has dispatched a “Friendship Fleet” to another country, after it sent its first-ever goodwill fleet, comprising the Hualien (花蓮) and Taipei (台北) patrol vessels, to Palau last year.
During the visit, a delegation led by CGA Deputy Director-General Hsu Ching-chih (許靜芝) is expected to meet with Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr and take part in friendly pickleball and swimming competitions with local officials, the statement said.
The two sides are scheduled to hold a banquet aboard the Chiayi, during which the national flags of Taiwan and Palau would be raised, the branch said.
Afterward, the two vessels are to conduct a joint patrol with Palauan law enforcement units per a bilateral coast guard cooperation agreement signed in 2019.
The branch said CGA personnel participated in various drills during the journey to validate their professional skills, including their ability to coordinate between two vessels, and ensure that the vessels’ performance met operational standards.
The trip was significant for Taiwan’s international maritime cooperation and “coast guard diplomacy,” it said, adding that the CGA would continue to establish international partnerships.
