Police commandos impress diplomats

Taipei-based diplomats had a special appointment with Taiwan's foreign affairs minister yesterday, first for an arts exhibition at the National Palace Museum and then for exercises with the national police commando unit.

"The authorities in Taiwan have shown us that we can be very confident we will get all the protection we need throughout our stay [here]" especially after the Sept. 11 attacks in the US, Ovidio M. Pequeno, Sao Tome and Principe's ambassador to Taiwan, told the Taipei Times.

Ambassador Pequeno made the statement after watching the 60-minute performance by the Wei-an Police Special Services Commando Unit (維安特勤小組) under the National Police Administration. The display highlighted the unit's anti-terrorist capabilities.

The squad stands ready to intervene and deploy its special skills in the event of serious crimes.

Amid a light drizzle, the performance, involving some 80 members of the elite group, took place yesterday afternoon at the headquarters of the First Peace Preservation Police Corps (保一總隊) under the National Police Administration.

The 60-minute program involved a 15-minute performance by a police brass band and marching guard and featured various kinds of pistol, machine gun and rifle shooting, plus a demonstration of counterterrorism measures.

"I trust ... we can be fully confident that the squad will continue to effectively ensure public security as well as the safety of the offices and residences of all ambassadors and representatives and their staffs in Taiwan," said Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Hung-mao (田弘茂) at a ceremony after the performance.

Liu Shou-teh (劉守德), chief of the Wei-an police squad, told the Taipei Times that yesterday was the first time in the squad's nine-year history it performed such a demonstration for diplomats.