The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced at 11:15pm last night that ties with Grenada would be cut. This followed a day of speculation in the wake of Grenada's resumption of diplomatic relations with China.
Taiwan's diplomats met Grenada's prime minister and foreign minister earlier yesterday, but were unable to get a concrete idea of what was written in their joint communique with China, the ministry said.
Officials from Taiwan's embassy talked to Grenadian Prime Minister Keith Mitchell and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Elvin Nimrod after they returned from separate trips to Japan and China.
Beijing's official Xinhua news agency reported that China and Grenada re-established official relations last Friday.
Mitchell and Nimrod, who were expected to officially announce the country's resumption of diplomatic ties with China after returning from the trips, have reportedly not done so because of dissatisfaction with the amount of aid offered by Beijing.
They did not say that Grenada would sever relations with Taiwan. However, it is believed that China demanded that Grenada give up ties with Taiwan in signing the joint communique.
"The information our embassy gathered suggests that China has yet to send officials to Grenada," said Ko Jai-son (
Ministry spokesman Michel Lu (呂慶龍) said Mitchell and Nimrod "planned the whole process of resuming diplomatic relations with China behind closed doors," adding that it was too early to say that Grenada would abandon Taiwan.
Meanwhile, a Chinese delegation's recent visit to Taiwan's allies Haiti and the Dominican Republic alarmed the ministry.
"China has intensified efforts to win over the Dominican Republic over the past year," Ko said.
The delegation, led by Cai Wu (蔡武), vice minister of the international department of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee, arrived in Haiti last week and visited neighboring Dominican Republic on Monday.
Cai's delegation also met Haiti's interim prime minister and foreign minister. According to Taiwan's embassy in Haiti, the delegation asked to meet other senior Haitian officials, including interim President Boniface Alexandre. He declined to see the group.
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
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