I met the Ambassador of the Solomon Islands a few weeks ago. The Solomons (Honiara is the capital) are in the Pacific Ocean over 13,000 km from Cuba and they only have a few embassies around the world so you might wonder why they have recently opened one in Havana. The Ambassador, Simeon Bouro, explained to me that Cuban support is important for the Solomons’ health service - there are more than 90 Solomon Islanders studying medicine in Cuba and a couple of Cuban doctors practicising in the Solomons.

The trip is purposely to promote cultural understanding, academic development, youth exchanges, raising awareness of public health and environmental protection between the young people of ROC (Taiwan) and it’s diplomatic allied countries, the youth-oriented public diplomacy was initiated by ROC (Taiwan) President Ma Ying-Jeou, in 2009.