Two Cabinet members yesterday cancelled scheduled trips to France to show Taiwan's anger over French President Jacques Chirac's denunciation of the "defensive" referendum.
National Science Council (NSC) Chairman Wei Che-ho (魏哲和), on a trip to Europe, removed France from his itinerary and will stay only in Germany the following week to promote scientific collaboration between the two nations.
Council for Cultural Affairs Chairwoman Tchen Yu-chiou (陳郁秀) also canceled a trip to France scheduled for yesterday to Feb 8.
Tchen was originally set to confer awards on Taiwanese students studying in France.
Counselor to the chairwoman Chung Cha-pin (
NSC officials said that, in light of the political turbulence caused by Chirac's comments, it was not an appropriate time for high-ranking officials to visit France.
Three science and technology divisions under the council -- one each in Belgium, Bonn and Paris -- work on scientific collaboration with European countries. High-ranking officials of the council usually visit more than one of the divisions on trips to Europe.
According to NSC deputy chairman Shieh Ching-Jyh (謝清志), Wei cancelled the visit to France because of Chirac's talk.
"Scientific collaboration between Taiwan and France will continue, but whether more effort will be put into new projects remains uncertain at this moment," Shieh said.
"Terminating projects wouldn't change Chirac's stance, so we will consider long-term bilateral collaboration," Shieh said.
The NSC will continue to help academics build close relationships with their counterparts in France, Shieh said.
Taking the France-Taiwan Science Award -- given to outstanding scientists from both sides -- as an example, Shieh said that similar sponsorships would not be terminated.
In past decades, fields involving scientific collaboration have included biotechnology, agriculture, geology, nuclear engineering and electronic engineering.
Shieh said the ROCSAT-2 project, the nation's second satellite jointly built by Taiwan and France, would continue as planned and would not be affected by politics. The satellite is scheduled to be launched late next month in California.
The ROCSAT-2 project, which cost NT$4.7 billion, is one of several projects in which France can participate. France also hopes to persuade Taiwan to buy its Airbus products, Shieh said.
The satellite was built jointly by Taiwan's National Space Program Office and France-based satellite manufacturer Astrium, Europe's No. 1 space company.
The pan-European Astrium, established in 2000, is the result of a merger of Germany-based DASA, France-based Matra-Marconi Space and other European companies. Astrium is a joint venture of the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company, which owns 80 percent of Airbus.
According to Taipei Times' sources, scientific cooperation between Taiwan and France on ROCSAT2 in 1999 hurt the relationship between France and China, leading to a delay in Beijing's purchasing of Airbus products.
Since the early 1990s, there has been friction over French involvement in Taiwan's major national projects.
Failures included bids involving the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant, Taipei Rapid Transit System, Taiwan High Speed Rail Project and the Lafayette frigate scandal.
The Mirage-2000 deal with the Ministry of National Defense was one of a few successful cases.
Additional reporting by Jewel Huang
Also see story:
Chirac's remarks shamed France: Lu
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS