This year, as in years past, the Day of German Unity on October 3 is a day of joy, a day of gratitude and a day of confidence. We are joyful that our country is no longer torn in two by an inhuman border. We are grateful that so many friendly nations helped us along our way to unity and shared our happiness. We are confident that Germany will push its internal reforms ahead and continue to make positive contributions -- alongside our friends and partners -- to peace and stability in the world as a member of the European Union, NATO and the United Nations.
Having concentrated our energies for decades on overcoming national separation, reunification has made it possible to concentrate our attention more than before on other areas of the world and to intensify our relations with them. This is especially true for East Asia and Taiwan.
With our friends in Taiwan we share common values like democracy, rule of law, human rights, freedom of press and information and we also have the same system of a market economy. Taiwan is an important economic partner. For Germany, Taiwan is the third largest business partner in the whole of Asia, with Germany being Taiwan's largest trade partner in Europe.
Furthermore, there are close and important cultural and scientific ties. Currently about 1,400 Taiwanese are studying in Germany and 25 academic cooperation programs exist between Taiwanese and German universities. An increasing number of German students come to study in Taiwan, particularly to learn the Chinese language. Taiwan and Germany can work together as well in many other areas, for example, in the protection of the environment, in the development of renewable energy and in the field of high technologies and research.
Some weeks ago we were greatly honored and delighted to welcome Taiwan's first lady to Berlin on the occasion of the opening of the National Palace Museum's exhibition, "Treasures of the Sons of Heaven." More than 100,000 visitors have already come to see this outstanding exhibition of Chinese art and culture and many more are expected to follow. This marks an epoch-making event in the cultural annals of Germany and Taiwan, which will further deepen the mutual understanding between the people of our two countries.
For the year 2004 we are looking forward to receiving an exhibition of German art -- masterworks of the Berlin State Museums from classicism to early modernism -- in Taipei.
On both sides there is a lot of interest and good will to further enhance the friendly, close and fruitful ties between Taiwan and Germany. Taiwan can continue to count on the Federal Republic of Germany as a reliable friend and partner.
NO-LIMITS PARTNERSHIP: ‘The bottom line’ is that if the US were to have a conflict with China or Russia it would likely open up a second front with the other, a US senator said Beijing and Moscow could cooperate in a conflict over Taiwan, the top US intelligence chief told the US Senate this week. “We see China and Russia, for the first time, exercising together in relation to Taiwan and recognizing that this is a place where China definitely wants Russia to be working with them, and we see no reason why they wouldn’t,” US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a US Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on Thursday. US Senator Mike Rounds asked Haines about such a potential scenario. He also asked US Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse
INSPIRING: Taiwan has been a model in the Asia-Pacific region with its democratic transition, free and fair elections and open society, the vice president-elect said Taiwan can play a leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region, vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) told a forum in Taipei yesterday, highlighting the nation’s resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. “Not only can Taiwan help, but Taiwan can lead ... not only can Taiwan play a leadership role, but Taiwan’s leadership is important to the world,” Hsiao told the annual forum hosted by the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation think tank. Hsiao thanked Taiwan’s international friends for their long-term support, citing the example of US President Joe Biden last month signing into law a bill to provide aid to Taiwan,
China’s intrusive and territorial claims in the Indo-Pacific region are “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive,” new US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo said on Friday, adding that he would continue working with allies and partners to keep the area free and open. Paparo made the remarks at a change-of-command ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii, where he took over the command from Admiral John Aquilino. “Our world faces a complex problem set in the troubling actions of the People’s Republic of China [PRC] and its rapid buildup of forces. We must be ready to answer the PRC’s increasingly intrusive and
STATE OF THE NATION: The legislature should invite the president to deliver an address every year, the TPP said, adding that Lai should also have to answer legislators’ questions The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday proposed inviting president-elect William Lai (賴清德) to make a historic first state of the nation address at the legislature following his inauguration on May 20. Lai is expected to face many domestic and international challenges, and should clarify his intended policies with the public’s representatives, KMT caucus secretary-general Hung Meng-kai (洪孟楷) said when making the proposal at a meeting of the legislature’s Procedure Committee. The committee voted to add the item to the agenda for Friday, along with another similar proposal put forward by the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The invitation is in line with Article 15-2