Taiwan’s Keelung Chung Cheng Middle School Folks Sports Troupe performances highlight cultural exchange

“That is why my Embassy partnered with the Ministry of Culture of St. Kitts and Nevis and invited the Keelung Chung Cheng Middle School Folks Sports Troupe to visit St. Kitts and Nevis not only to present traditional Taiwanese folk sports, but also to mark these two significant milestones,” said Taiwan’s Resident Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis His Excellency Miguel Tsao in welcoming 500 guests at the ECCB Auditorium.

He said the Troupe, ranked among the best of its kind in Taiwan is composed entirely of students, who are required to have both excellent grades and meet the rigorous sports training.

“This troupe showcases the finest of Taiwan’s youth, and their performance is sure to be a wonderful experience. I am sure their visit will further enhance the understanding and friendship between our two peoples,” said Ambassador Tsao, who pointed out that St. Kitts and Nevis is the only Caribbean country that the Troupe will visit on their tour.

He thanked the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, especially Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, Honourable Minister Marcella Liburd and Permanent Secretary Sharon Rattan, for the “seamless coordination and staunch support.”

Prime Minister Douglas said the visit is another example of the close relations that exist between the peoples of the Republic of China on Taiwan and Saint Kitts and Nevis.

“From our vantage point, we have seen this relationship manifested in areas of agriculture, ICT development, sport, air transportation and culture. The sharing of the cultural heritage of our countries, therefore, is an important endeavour that fosters better understanding and support that redounds to the mutual benefit of our countries,” said Dr. Douglas.

He was of the view that the sharing of culture is an important aspect of tourism development.

“In the best circumstances, culture and heritage sharing often provide the most enjoyable experiences in the tourism industry, because it is through such exposure that we, as individuals, appreciate the values, beliefs and art forms that flourish in other countries. The fact that we live in a well connected global environment, made possible by the tremendous advances that have taken place in all forms of communications and travel, leads to the obvious need to think globally and prepare ourselves to reap better rewards in the context of global economic activity. Cultural sharing helps us to re-orientate our minds toward the pursuit of productive global interaction,” said Dr Douglas to the guests at the ECCB Auditorium.

In remarks at the Jubilee Stadium for over 2,000 persons Prime Minister Douglas noted that the exceptional advances that have taken place over the past decades in communications and travel, “say to us that we are more integrated into the global economic and social frameworks, and as a nation, we must take advantage of the emerging environments for our continued social and economic progress.”