President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday urged New Zealand to revise its "one-China" stance, apparently suggesting the country adopt the recent practice of the US and increase high-level exchanges between Taiwan and New Zealand.
"The Republic of China is now New Zealand's ninth-largest trading partner. But the two countries rarely engage in high-level exchanges due to New Zealand's adherence to the so-called `one China' policy," Chen said.
Chen made his appeal while receiving three influential New Zealand parliamentarians, Wyatt Creech, Max Bradford and John Luxton.
"New Zealand is an independent sovereign state," Chen said. "I think there is room for New Zealand to revise its one-China stance."
The president then cited his stopovers in the US en route to and from Latin America in May this year.
"Although the United States does not maintain formal diplomatic ties with the ROC, it agreed to my transit stops in New York and Houston recently and didn't oppose my meeting a large number of members of Congress during my stay in the two American cities," Chen said.
Moreover, Chen said, the US health secretary voiced public support for Taiwan's bid to join the World Health Organization (WHO) as an observer earlier this year.
"We hope the New Zealand government can refer to the US experience in revising and adjusting its engagement with Taiwan," Chen said.
The two countries also have a common interest in boosting bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Chen said. He added he would continue pushing for closer bilateral relations during his presidency.
"I look forward to seeing major breakthroughs in high-level exchanges and economic cooperation between the Republic of China and New Zealand," he told his guests.
The visiting parliamentarians said their country now has many immigrants from Taiwan, who have greatly contributed to the state's development.
Creech, a former deputy prime minister, said he hopes to see political, economic and cultural exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and New Zealand increase steadily.
He also said New Zealand is willing to use various channels to help persuade China to resolve cross-strait disputes by peaceful means.
NO HUMAN ERROR: After the incident, the Coast Guard Administration said it would obtain uncrewed aerial vehicles and vessels to boost its detection capacity Authorities would improve border control to prevent unlawful entry into Taiwan’s waters and safeguard national security, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said yesterday after a Chinese man reached the nation’s coast on an inflatable boat, saying he “defected to freedom.” The man was found on a rubber boat when he was about to set foot on Taiwan at the estuary of Houkeng River (後坑溪) near Taiping Borough (太平) in New Taipei City’s Linkou District (林口), authorities said. The Coast Guard Administration’s (CGA) northern branch said it received a report at 6:30am yesterday morning from the New Taipei City Fire Department about a
IN BEIJING’S FAVOR: A China Coast Guard spokesperson said that the Chinese maritime police would continue to carry out law enforcement activities in waters it claims The Philippines withdrew its coast guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that has recently been at the center of tensions with Beijing. BRP Teresa Magbanua “was compelled to return to port” from Sabina Shoal (Xianbin Shoal, 仙濱暗沙) due to bad weather, depleted supplies and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Jay Tarriela said yesterday in a post on X. The Philippine vessel “will be in tiptop shape to resume her mission” after it has been resupplied and repaired, Philippine Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who heads the nation’s maritime council, said
REGIONAL STABILITY: Taipei thanked the Biden administration for authorizing its 16th sale of military goods and services to uphold Taiwan’s defense and safety The US Department of State has approved the sale of US$228 million of military goods and services to Taiwan, the US Department of Defense said on Monday. The state department “made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale” to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US for “return, repair and reshipment of spare parts and related equipment,” the defense department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a news release. Taiwan had requested the purchase of items and services which include the “return, repair and reshipment of classified and unclassified spare parts for aircraft and related equipment; US Government
More than 500 people on Saturday marched in New York in support of Taiwan’s entry to the UN, significantly more people than previous years. The march, coinciding with the ongoing 79th session of the UN General Assembly, comes close on the heels of growing international discourse regarding the meaning of UN Resolution 2758. Resolution 2758, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1971, recognizes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the “only lawful representative of China.” It resulted in the Republic of China (ROC) losing its seat at the UN to the PRC. Taiwan has since been excluded from