Following a visit by a number of officials to Taiwan earlier this month, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean, British minister of state, expressed the UK's strong opposition to the use of force in the Taiwan Strait.
"We take every opportunity to convey to the Chinese government, and through informal channels to the Taiwanese authorities, our strong opposition to the use of force or to any action that raises possible areas of tension across the Taiwan Strait," Symons said last Monday while answering questions in the House of Lords concerning Taiwan's defensive referendum and bids to join international bodies.
She made the remarks in response to questions by Lord Faulkner of Worcester, vice chairman of the British-Taiwan parliamentary friendship group, who visited Taiwan with a number of British officials at the beginning of the month.
President Chen Shui-bian (
Faulkner asked the baroness in the House of Lords whether the UKs government would support the resolution passed by the European Parliament on Dec. 18 last year to maintain the EU embargo on selling arms to China.
"Ministers are currently considering the United Kingdom's position," Symons said. "In the meantime, we shall continue fully to implement the arms embargo."
Faulkner suggested to Symons that the UK government could demand the removal of the missiles which China is aiming at Taiwan as an "absolute precondition" for the resumption of arms sales to China.
Faulkner asked the baroness whether the UK government believes Taiwan's defensive referendum is entirely a matter for the people of Taiwan, or whether China should be consulted. While recognizing the importance of Faulkner's questions concerning China and Taiwan, Symons did not directly touch on the referendum issue.
"I assured him [Faulkner] that the government attaches great importance to the avoidance of conflict in the Taiwan Strait," she said.
Lord Avebury asked Symons whether the UK should adopt better measures to protect Taiwan from Chinese aggression in future by enhancing Taiwan's status in the international community.
"If we cannot recognize Taiwan as an independent country, which it is, in a legal sense, should we try to ensure the admission of Taiwan to international bodies such as the World Health Organization?" Avebury asked.
Symons replied that any recognition of that kind is "bound to raise international tensions between Taiwan and China."
"Laudable as much of the motivation is behind his question, the noble lord must also consider the outcomes of increasing the tensions that would inevitably follow any such move," Symons said.
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
RSS