The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday announced the details of a series of events to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the US’ Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), saying that they are designed to highlight the importance of the act in strengthening the Taiwan-US partnership and cross-strait peace.
The logo for the celebration is a diamond mounted with an image of the national flags of Taiwan and the US, which symbolizes the stability and endurance of the partnership between the two nations, Department of North American Affairs Director-General Vincent Yao (姚金祥) told a news conference in Taipei.
Yao said the events included the pending publication on social media sites of a three-minute film depicting the achievements in Taiwan-US relations over the past 40 years.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
A civil society dialogue on safeguarding religious freedom in the Indo-Pacific region — organized by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy at the ministry’s behest — is to be held in Taipei next month, Yao said, adding that it is designed to highlight shared values between Taipei and Washington.
“In addition, a total of seven events under the umbrella of the [Taiwan-US] Global Cooperation Training Framework have been planned for the year, with the topics ranging from law enforcement cooperation, public health, and female empowerment to the preservation of indigenous languages and energy security,” Yao said, adding that the events would be held either in Taiwan or a third country, likely one of the nation’s diplomatic allies.
As the act was signed into law on April 10, 1979, Yao said that the ministry has invited influential think tanks to attend a large-scale forum in Washington in early April and another one in Taipei in the middle of April.
In the same month, a congressional banquet is to be organized by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US to further consolidate long-term support for Taiwan by the US Congress, Yao said.
He added that the ministry is working on inviting senior US officials to Taiwan in April to attend events to be held by the American Institute in Taiwan to celebrate the anniversary and its upcoming relocation to its new facility in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖).
Other events include a youth camp, a visit by Taiwanese agricultural and trade representatives to the US, a photography exhibition, and other programs to increase Americans’ awareness of the significance of the act and the Taiwan-US relationship, he said.
Asked whether the ministry has evaluated a proposal by some US Republican senators for President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to deliver a speech before the US Congress, Yao said that there is currently no such plan, but the ministry would continue to work with Washington in a pragmatic manner, and in accordance with the principles of mutual trust and reciprocity.
TRAGEDY STRIKES TAIPEI: The suspect died after falling off a building after he threw smoke grenades into Taipei Main Station and went on a killing spree in Zhongshan A 27-year-old suspect allegedly threw smoke grenades in Taipei Main Station and then proceeded to Zhongshan MRT Station in a random killing spree that resulted in the death of the suspect and two other civilians, and seven injured, including one in critical condition, as of press time last night. The suspect, identified as a man surnamed Chang Wen (張文), allegedly began the attack at Taipei Main Station, the Taipei Fire Department said, adding that it received a report at 5:24pm that smoke grenades had been thrown in the station. One man in his 50s was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest
SAFETY FIRST: Double the number of police were deployed at the Taipei Marathon, while other cities released plans to bolster public event safety Authorities across Taiwan have stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year events, following a knife and smoke bomb attack in Taipei on Friday that left four people dead and 11 injured. In a bid to prevent potential copycat incidents, police deployments have been expanded for large gatherings, transport hubs, and other crowded public spaces, according to official statements from police and city authorities. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the city has “comprehensively raised security readiness” in crowded areas, increased police deployments with armed officers, and intensified patrols during weekends and nighttime hours. For large-scale events, security checkpoints and explosives
PUBLIC SAFETY: The premier said that security would be tightened in transport hubs, while President Lai commended the public for their bravery The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day. Lai made the remarks following a briefing by the National Police Agency on the progress of the investigation, saying that the attack underscored the importance of cooperation in public security between the central and local governments. The attack unfolded in the early evening on Friday around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later near the Taipei MRT’s Zhongshan
ON ALERT: Taiwan’s partners would issue warnings if China attempted to use Interpol to target Taiwanese, and the global body has mechanisms to prevent it, an official said China has stationed two to four people specializing in Taiwan affairs at its embassies in several democratic countries to monitor and harass Taiwanese, actions that the host nations would not tolerate, National Security Bureau (NSB) Director-General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) said yesterday. Tsai made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, which asked him and Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) to report on potential conflicts in the Taiwan Strait and military preparedness. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵) expressed concern that Beijing has posted personnel from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office to its
RSS