Taiwan will cooperate with Burkina Faso and Chad in issuing postage stamps, Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (
Chien, who arrived in Burkina Faso's capital Monday from Chad for a four-day visit, said the two African allies have given positive responses to his proposal for bilateral cooperation in stamp issuing, starting next year.
"I'll discuss details regarding the proposed joint stamps with the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) after I return to Taipei," Chien said. Postage stamp issuing is under the MOTC's jurisdiction.
As postage stamps are widely used, Chien said, they can serve as an effective international publicity tool. "Through joint stamp issuing, we can promote mutual understanding and friendship with our diplomatic allies," he said.
At Chien's recommendation, Taiwan cooperated with two of Taiwan's Latin American allies -- Costa Rica and Paraguay -- in issuing commemorative postage stamps this year. Those projects have proceeded smoothly and have achieved satisfactory results, Chien said.
According to Chien, the stamps to be issued in cooperation with Chad will feature images of two landmark structures Taiwan has helped build in the central African country -- the Solidarity Bridge and the Taiwan Boulevard.
The stamps to be issued in cooperation with Burkina Faso will mark the 40th anniversary of agricultural cooperation between the two countries, Chien said, adding that rice paddies and farms built with the assistance of Taiwan's agricultural experts will be featured on the new stamps.
Meanwhile, he said his proposal to gradually transform the Taiwan's overseas agricultural missions into profit-making farming companies may soon be put into practice in Burkina Faso.
Chien said Burkina Faso's Bagre farming district is likely to be the first case for the proposed experiment.
According to the proposal, Taiwan would provide expertise, experience and manpower while the resident country would provide capital by applying for loans from the relevant international organizations.
Chien said he will lobby legislators to support his proposal which, if successful, will help reduce Taiwan's financial burden in financing its overseas agricultural missions.
If the experiment in Burkina Faso succeeds, he continued, similar projects will be carried out in Chad and other countries where Taiwan has agricultural technical missions.
Chien has also met with Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaore, Prime Minister Paramanga Ernest Yonli, Foreign Minister Youssouf Ouedraogo and other senior officials for wide-ranging talks, all of whom expressed concern about China's military threat toward Taiwan.
They said they will take every possible opportunity in the international arena to urge Beijing to dismantle its missile deployment against Taiwan.
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