At the invitation of the Government of Solomon Islands, a three vessel fleet of the ROC (Taiwan) navy midshipmen cruising training squadron will grace our shores next week.
To be led by Commander Rear Admiral Yu-Pin Lin, the navy squadron will arrive in Honiara on Monday morning.
The brief visit will be for three days.
A statement from the Taiwan Embassy office in Honiara confirmed that visit saying the squadron consists of three vessels, Wu-yi (AOE-530), His-Ning (FFG-1203) and Pan-Chao (FFG-1108), with 768 Navy officers, sailors and midshipmen onboard.
“This is the thirteenth visit of this kind since 1984. As a gesture for goodwill and continued commitments from Taiwan, the ROC navy squadron will ship in loads of OA furniture and footballs to donate to Solomon Islands Government and Solomon Islands Football Association (SIFF).”
According to the scheduled program of the visit, the squadron’s flagship, Wu-Yi, will open for public visit on Monday, April 20th from 10:30am to 12:30pm and Tuesday, April 21st from 10:00 am to 15:00 pm.
On Monday afternoon the ROC Navy cadets will perform tattoo and martial art show at Lawson Tama stadium and on Tuesday afternoon at Art Gallery Square starting from 15:00 pm.
The admissions to the public performances are free, and the public is encouraged to take this rare opportunity to witness the showcase of a modern ROC Navy.
ROC (Taiwan) Ambassador H.E. Victor Te-sun Yu said: “The visit by ROC Navy Squadron highlights the goodwill and friendship from Taiwan. It will not only serve to bridge the cultural and geographical gaps and promotes better understanding and closer friendship between our two peoples, but will also strengthen the cordial alliance between our two countries.”
