Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (黃志芳) said yesterday that relations with Panama remained stable, amid speculation that Panama would follow Malawi and recognize China.
"It seems the relationship with Panama is good," Huang said.
Panama, which has close business relations with China, has long been rumored to be considering the switch. Last month, Huang traveled to Panama, the Dominican Republic and Haiti to strengthen diplomatic ties.
PHOTO: AFP
The Panamanian government said that bilateral relations remained solid while business relations with China would remain normal.
Huang, who is traveling with President Chen Shui-bian (
During an interview with the Associated Press in Guatemala, Chen said he did not oppose Taiwanese allies establishing trade offices in China.
Chen said he was confident Taiwan's 23 remaining diplomatic allies would not switch recognition to China and that diplomatic relations would not be affected if they opened trade offices in Beijing while maintaining diplomatic ties with Taiwan.
"You don't need an embassy to do business in China," he said. "All you need is a trade office."
In Taipei, Vice President Annette Lu (
Lu said she was not targeting any particular individual, but that it would make sense for somebody to be held responsible.
Lu made the remarks during an interview with TVBS on Monday night.
Taiwan has lost three diplomatic allies -- Chad, Costa Rica and Malawi -- during Huang's term.
Meanwhile, Government Information Office (GIO) Minister Shieh Jhy-wey (
He said he decided against it, however, because he did not want his resignation to attract media attention and that the matter would "clear itself up" after he returned from the trip.
During an interview with Sanlih Television on Sunday night, Lu said it would be a good idea to adjust the Cabinet lineup and replace some "controversial" officials, without naming names.
Some media outlets have speculated that Lu was referring to Minister of Education Tu Cheng-sheng (杜正勝), the ministry's secretary-general, Chuang Kuo-jung (莊國榮) as well as Minister Shieh.
Kaohsiung County Commissioner Yang Chiu-hsing (楊秋興) said on Monday that Tu and Shieh should be held partly responsible for the election defeat.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
LANDSLIDES POSSIBLE: The agency advised the public to avoid visiting mountainous regions due to more expected aftershocks and rainfall from a series of weather fronts A series of earthquakes over the past few days were likely aftershocks of the April 3 earthquake in Hualien County, with further aftershocks to be expected for up to a year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Based on the nation’s experience after the quake on Sept. 21, 1999, more aftershocks are possible over the next six months to a year, the agency said. A total of 103 earthquakes of magnitude 4 on the local magnitude scale or higher hit Hualien County from 5:08pm on Monday to 10:27am yesterday, with 27 of them exceeding magnitude 5. They included two, of magnitude
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique