David Lee (
Lee, a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), returned to Taipei on Tuesday and is scheduled to give a report on Taiwan's relationship with the EU and Belgium in the Legislative Yuan's Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee today.
PHOTO: LIN CHENG-KUN, TAIPEI TIMES
"Although I am a KMT member, I will continue serving our country and fighting for its interests as a professional diplomat," Lee told reporters during visits to several lawmakers in the legislature.
Lee met separately with KMT Legislator John Chang (
Chang, who once criticized Lee for being ignorant to accept the appointment, said yesterday he was simply afraid that Lee would become the scapegoat for Taiwan's troubled relations with the US.
Chang, a former minister of foreign affairs, said the DPP government appointed Lee in the difficult position because its favorite candidate, former Mainland Affairs Council chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (
Chang said Lee should inform himself fully of domestic politics in order not to be "sacrificed by the DPP."
Lee also met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (
Asked about his vision for Taiwan-US relations, Lee said it was inappropriate for him to comment on the issue because the US has not approved his appointment yet.
He said the EU held positive views about Chen Shui-bian's inaugural speech, which was very reconciliatory towards China.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost