Representative David Cheng-Wei Wu of the Taipei Trade Office in Fiji hosted a reception on the evening of 8 October 2026 to mark the 115th National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan), highlighting Taiwan’s democratic development, technological capabilities and long-standing cooperation with Fiji.
In his remarks, Representative Wu said Taiwan has undergone 30 years of democratic development and has emerged as an important democracy in Asia and a key partner in global technology supply chains. Faced with an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, Taiwan will continue to uphold democracy and contribute to peace, while working with like-minded partners to build a more resilient Pacific region through its expertise in technology, healthcare, agriculture and digital transformation.
Representative David Cheng-Wei Wu speaks about Taiwan longterm contribution to the Pacific in remarks
Representative Wu noted that the reception came on his 60th day since arriving in Fiji. During his first two months, he had travelled to various parts of Viti Levu, including visiting the Taiwan Technical Mission’s sites in Nausori, Sigatoka and Caboni. He also met with the medical team from Mackay Memorial Hospital in Nadi, visited senior citizens in Lautoka, attended the Pacific Media Summit in Savusavu, and travelled to Palau to attend the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting.
Representative Wu also highlighted the depth of Taiwan-Fiji relations, noting that Taiwan has maintained a presence in Suva since 1971. Over the past 55 years, cooperation in agriculture, healthcare and human resource development has helped build strong and lasting connections between the two peoples. He said the foundation of the friendship between Taiwan and Fiji goes beyond government-to-government relations, with trust built through long-term people-to-people exchanges playing an equally important role.
30 Years of Taiwan’s Democratic Development
Speaking about Taiwan’s democratic development, Representative Wu noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan’s first direct presidential election in 1996. At the time, Taiwan faced a highly tense security environment, including missile tests in waters surrounding Taiwan. Despite the tensions, Taiwanese people turned out in large numbers to vote, with a voter turnout of approximately 76 per cent. The election became a major milestone in Taiwan’s democratic transformation. Thirty years later, Taiwan has developed into a vibrant and open democratic society, ranking highly among Asian countries in international assessments of freedom, integrity and press freedom.
Representative Wu said Taiwan has also undergone a major economic and technological transformation. Advanced semiconductor manufacturing and artificial intelligence server industries now play critical roles in global supply chains.
As technology, economic development and national security become increasingly interconnected, he said, the importance of trust has become even more significant.
“We therefore want Taiwan to be recognised not only for being the epicentre of AI revolution, but as a trusted partner that contributes constructively to the international community” he said.
Investing in Peace and Regional Resilience
On security issues, Representative Wu said that investing in defence is also investing in peace. He noted that the international environment is facing multiple challenges, including geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, climate change and rapid technological development. Taiwan must therefore strengthen its democracy, safeguard peace and stability, and make use of its economic and technological capabilities to demonstrate its determination to protect its people and sovereignty. Taiwan will continue to strengthen its self-defence capabilities while supporting Fiji’s development, upholding shared values and contributing to peace, prosperity and resilience across the Pacific.
Everlasting Friendship
Representative Wu also highlighted the unique connection between Taiwan and Fiji, noting that both celebrate their respective national days on 10 October — Taiwan’s Double Ten Day and Fiji Day. “Taiwan and Fiji were simply born to be good mates” he said. He invited guests to raise a glass in celebration of the National Day of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Fiji Day, and expressed his hope that friendship and cooperation between Taiwan and Fiji would continue to flourish in the years ahead.
Former Fiji Prime Minister Highlights Practical Cooperation
Former Fiji Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry was also invited to attend the reception and deliver remarks, where he praised Taiwan’s long-standing cooperation with Fiji in agriculture, aquaculture, healthcare and human resource development.
He emphasised that the core of Taiwan-Fiji cooperation is not simply the provision of equipment or resources, but the transfer of knowledge and technology, training of local personnel and strengthening of Fiji’s capacity for sustainable and independent development.
Chaudhry highlighted agriculture as one of the longest-standing pillars of Taiwan-Fiji cooperation. The Taiwan Technical Mission has worked with Fiji since 1978 through demonstration farms, technical assistance, quality seedlings, farmer training and technology transfer, helping strengthen Fiji’s agricultural production capacity. He particularly highlighted Taiwan-Fiji cooperation on guava and dragon fruit production. Through cooperation between the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF) and Fiji’s Ministry of Agriculture, more than 15,000 guava seedlings and more than 16,000 dragon fruit seedlings have been produced, contributing to improvements in fruit production and marketing capabilities.
Chaudhry also noted the establishment of an Centre of Agricultural Technology Transfer (CATT) by the Taiwan Technical Mission, as well as the 2026 Resilient Cultivation Promotion Programme, which are supporting the development of smart and climate-resilient agriculture in Fiji. This year, Taipei Trade Office in Fiji also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Fiji National University, providing students with opportunities to learn about tissue culture, smart greenhouse technologies and high-value crop production.
Developing a Sustainable Aquaculture Industry
In aquaculture, Chaudhry highlighted the launch this year of a Taiwan-Fiji White Shrimp Industry Development Project. The five-year project, running from 2026 to 2030, aims to establish a sustainable shrimp value chain by improving the supply of shrimp fry and feed, strengthening farmer training and encouraging private-sector investment. He stressed that the initiative is not simply about introducing a new species, but about helping Fiji develop its own knowledge, technical expertise, infrastructure and commercial capacity.
Strengthening Healthcare Cooperation
Healthcare cooperation was another area highlighted by Chaudhry. He noted that in September 2026, a medical team from Taiwan Mackay Memorial Hospital visited Nadi Hospital to provide free medical services. It marked the eighth time the hospital’s medical team had travelled to Fiji. This year, an infectious disease specialist was included in the team for the first time, helping Fiji respond to the country’s increasingly serious HIV situation while sharing experience with local healthcare professionals on prevention and treatment.
Chaudhry said an important value of Taiwan-Fiji cooperation lies in capacity building. Scholarships, professional training, workshops and exchange programmes enable Fijian students, professionals, government officials and technical personnel to gain new knowledge and practical experience, which they can subsequently bring back to Fiji.
Staunch Partnership between Taiwan and the Pacific
He also welcomed Taiwan’s role as a development partner of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). He noted that Taiwan provided US$2 million to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in 2026 and has committed a further US$3 million to support the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), helping Pacific Island countries strengthen their resilience to climate change and natural disasters.
This year’s National Day Reception hosted by the Taipei Trade Office in Fiji brought together a large gathering of guests in a warm and convivial atmosphere.
A highlight of the reception was a map of Taiwan creatively arranged with fruits and vegetables grown with the support of Taiwan Technical Mission. An interactive aquarium also showcased the achievements of the white shrimp aquaculture project, offering guests a glimpse into the successful outcomes of Taiwan–Fiji agricultural cooperation.
As guests departed, they were presented with commemorative National Day gift boxes featuring fresh produce and white shrimp, symbolising the fruitful cooperation and enduring friendship between Taiwan and Fiji.
