The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that the government is keeping close contact with Taiwanese students in Norway who are raising funds to sue the Norwegian government after it labeled them as being from China.
According to a Facebook page created by the students, the Norwegian government changed their residency cards to read “Kina/Taiwan.” Kina is the Norwegian word for China.
Despite protesting to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration and lawmakers, the students did not receive a positive response.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
In March last year, they filed a petition with immigration authorities, saying that the government’s disrespect of the Taiwanese people’s identity has contravened its own constitution, the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“However, the Norwegian government repeatedly delayed the process and then dismissed our petition on the grounds that ‘such designation does not affect the interested party’s rights and obligations in Norway,’” they said.
The group on Wednesday last week launched an online crowdfunding campaign to raise money to take the case to court in Norway, which they said would be costly and could take three to four years.
As of press time last night, the group had raised about NT$1.36 million (US$44,407), more than their first-phase target of NT$1.22 million. Their ultimate goal is NT$4.88 million.
“In the face of China’s overwhelming pressure, this is the first giant step toward Taiwanese people’s awakening. If you care about Taiwan’s national subjectivity and are willing to fight for Taiwan against the many injustices it suffers in the international arena, you are welcome to join us,” the group said on the crowdfunding site.
Ministry spokesman Andrew Lee (李憲章) told local media that the ministry has been talking with the Norwegian government over the issue via its representative office in Sweden and is urging it to amend the name as soon as possible.
Taiwan’s representative office in Norway was closed in September last year as part of the ministry’s ongoing plan to streamline its structure. The office in Sweden is responsible for affairs in Norway.
The ministry has also continued to keep close contact with the students and would offer all necessary assistance, Lee said.
The group leader said they are aware of Taipei’s stance.
Lee also expressed the ministry’s appreciation for the group’s efforts to file a lawsuit.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
By refusing to agree spending increases to appease US President Donald Trump, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threatened to derail a summit that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte needs to run smoothly for the sake of the military alliance’s future survival. Ahead of yesterday’s gathering in The Hague, Netherlands, things were going off the rails. European officials have expressed irritation at the spoiler role that Sanchez is playing when their No. 1 task is to line up behind a pledge to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. Rutte needed to keep Spain in line while preventing others such as Slovakia
RSS