Vice President Annette Lu (
"My visit is a breakthrough in Taiwan's diplomatic history, which has been criticized as a sick `money diplomacy,' because I neither carried or promised to give any money or resources to those countries I visited," Lu said during a press conference after returning from Europe yesterday morning.
During her third trip abroad in as many months, the vice president visited the Vatican, Taiwan's only diplomatic ally in Europe, and Hungary, where she attended a congress of the Liberal International, a federation of liberal political parties from 67 countries.
Lu said that her comparison of the "soft power" of Taiwan with China's "hard power," such as military threats and political suppression, had many officials consider improving ties with Taiwan.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新) echoed that Lu's visit has improved Taiwan's diplomatic visibility and that the achievements may direct future policy of his ministry.
"The vice president's experience proves that Taiwan can develop foreign relationships without spending money," Chien said during the press conference. "We will follow this direction."
He also stressed that Taiwan should expand it foreign ties by stressing its actual strengths, such as freedom, democracy, human rights, love and high-technology.
On the issue of the raid on Next magazine, Lu said that although she advocates freedom of speech, it should not be extended without limits.
"I have spent half of my life fighting for the freedom of speech, which I will continue to do," Lu said. "However, I also appeal for people to understand that this freedom shouldn't sacrifice national security.
"I believe that there should be a balance between freedom of speech and the importance of national security and social responsibilities."
RESTAURANT POISONING? Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang at a press conference last night said this was the first time bongkrekic acid was detected in Taiwan An autopsy discovered bongkrekic acid in a specimen collected from a person who died from food poisoning after dining at the Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said at a news conference last night. It was the first time bongkrekic acid was detected in Taiwan, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said. The testing conducted by forensic specialists at National Taiwan University was facilitated after a hospital voluntarily offered standard samples it had in stock that are required to test for bongkrekic acid, he said. Wang told the news conference that testing would continue despite
The government is aiming to recruit 1,096 foreign English teachers and teaching assistants this year, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. The foreign teachers would work closely with elementary and junior-high instructors to create and teach courses, ministry official Tsai Yi-ching (蔡宜靜) said. Together, they would create an immersive language environment, helping to motivate students while enhancing the skills of local teachers, she said. The ministry has since 2021 been recruiting foreign teachers through the Taiwan Foreign English Teacher Program, which offers placement, salary, housing and other benefits to eligible foreign teachers. Two centers serving northern and southern Taiwan assist in recruiting and training
WIDE NET: Health officials said they are considering all possibilities, such as bongkrekic acid, while the city mayor said they have not ruled out the possibility of a malicious act of poisoning Two people who dined at a restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Department Store Xinyi A13 last week have died, while four are in intensive care, the Taipei Department of Health said yesterday. All of the outlets of Malaysian vegetarian restaurant franchise Polam Kopitiam have been ordered to close pending an investigation after 11 people became ill due to suspected food poisoning, city officials told a news conference in Taipei. The first fatality, a 39-year-old man who ate at the restaurant on Friday last week, died of kidney failure two days later at the city’s Mackay Memorial Hospital. A 66-year-old man who dined
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