Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) yesterday encouraged more Taiwanese tourists to visit Palau, one of Taiwan’s three Pacific allies, after snorkeling with President Surangel Whipps Jr during her first visit to a diplomatic ally as vice president.
Hsiao, who arrived in Palau on Saturday on a direct flight from Taiwan, joined Whipps on a boat trip Sunday morning to Big Drop Off, a renowned snorkeling and diving site off Ngemelis Island in the southern part of Palau’s Rock Islands.
Hsiao said Palau and Taiwan are both island nations with warm and friendly people, adding that visiting Palau offers a particularly relaxing experience.
Photo: Screen grab from the Presidential Office’s Flickr page
She added that Taiwanese people, after working hard in their daily lives, deserve to arrange an island getaway to relax and recharge, and Palau is a convenient choice as it is close to Taiwan and served by direct flights.
Whipps welcomed Hsiao and her delegation to Palau and encouraged Taiwanese people to take direct flights to the country to experience its natural beauty.
Taiwan’s China Airlines operates four direct flights per week between Taoyuan and Koror, Palau’s largest city, making the Pacific country reachable from Taiwan in less than four hours.
Data from the Tourism Administration showed that the number of Taiwanese visitors to Palau has increased in recent years, rising from 10,555 in 2023 to 14,043 last year.
Later yesterday, Hsiao traveled to Peleliu, one of the states in southern Palau, where she visited a World War II memorial museum and the grave of former Palauan president Kuniwo Nakamura.
After visiting the museum, Hsiao told reporters that war brings devastation and suffering, referring to the fierce battle fought on Peleliu more than 80 years ago.
More than 10,000 people lost their lives on the island during the battle between Japan and the US, she said, adding that the two countries, once wartime enemies, are now important allies in the Indo-Pacific region.
The various forms of cooperation between the US and Japan today are aimed at maintaining regional stability, so that people in all countries can live and work in peace, she added.
Whipps echoed Hsiao’s remarks, saying he supported a free and open Indo-Pacific as a way to promote security, stability and prosperity in the region.
Yesterday marked the second day of Hsiao’s ongoing five-day trip, her first visit to a diplomatic ally since she took office in May 2024.
She is representing President William Lai (賴清德) on the trip, following an invitation from Whipps.
