Print

Mail

wiki links

Taiwan quick take

■Diplomacy
Visa rules relaxed
Taiwan will grant 14-day visa-free entry privileges to citizens of South Korea from Feb. 1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday. South Korean passport holders who intend to stay in Taiwan for up to 30 days can apply for landing visas at appointed airports or sea ports in Taiwan, the ministry said in a press release. The new measure is part of the government's efforts to attract more foreign tourists to realize its goal of doubling tourist arrivals by 2008, ministry officials said. The gesture is also seen as a show of goodwill to the new government under South Korean president-elect Roh Moo-hyun, who will take office at the end of February. Taiwan already offers 14-day visa-free entry privileges to citizens from more 20 countries.

■ Trade
Panama deal in the works
The preliminary draft of a free-trade agreement between Taiwan and Panama is expected to be worked out today when a five-day, second round of negotiations concludes, according to a government official. The official, with the Board of Foreign Trade, said that the draft was 80 percent complete as of yesterday and that the remaining part would probably be settled on the last day. The Panamanian delegation to the negotiations is headed by Vice Minister of Commerce and Industry Meliton Arrocha, while the Taiwan side is headed by Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Ruey-long (陳瑞隆) and board Director-General Huang Chih-peng (黃志鵬). The next round of negotiations will be held in March. Panama is likely to become the first country to sign an FTA with Taiwan. Both governments have expressed their intention of signing the agreement this year.

■ Law and Order
Chen rallies investigators
President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) urged the Investigation Bureau to incorporate scientific advances in their investigation into crimes. Speaking at the end of a training program for newly recruited agents of the Investigation Bureau, the president said awareness of human rights has raised the threshold for proof admissible in trials and poses a demanding challenge to battling crimes. In order to present an ironclad case before the court, all criminal investigators, including the bureau's agents, police and prosecutors, have to use scientific methods. The president also urged the bureau's agents, which helped the KMT administration keep a close eye on political dissidents for many years, to update their thoughts and behavior and keep in mind the principles of performing their functions according to the law and to steer clear of politics.

■ WHO
Taiwan changes tack
Taiwan has decided to adjust its strategies for obtaining observer status in the World Health Assembly (WHA) -- the highest decision-making body of the WHO, Taiwan officials stationed in Geneva said Wednesday. The WHO Executive Commission is scheduled to meet in Geneva from Jan. 20 through Jan. 28. During the week-long meeting, the 32 members of the commission are expected to set the agenda for the 2003 WHA conference to be held in May. Taiwan has so far this year not taken any initiative to push for its bid at the upcoming WHO Executive Commission conference. A Taipei official stationed in Geneva said Taiwan will not ask its allies to speak for its cause at the conference and will instead bring up the issue directly at the WHA conference scheduled for May.
This story has been viewed 1804 times.