■ Diplomacy
Shooting help promised
Taiwanese and Philippine judicial authorities will jointly probe the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman, reportedly by two Filipino maritime policemen, in Philippine waters last Sunday, the Philippines' representative to Taipei said yesterday. Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (陳唐山) met yesterday with Manila Economic and Cultural Office Director Antonio Basilio, who promised that police officials on both sides would work together to probe the case. Basilio said they will try to produce their findings in two to three weeks. He said an investigative team headed by Philippine vice interior minister is conducting the investigation and Manila authorities will invite prosecutors from Taitung County as well as Taiwanese police officials to participate in the shooting probe. "A life was lost. We take that very seriously and we regret it happened," the envoy said.
■ Travel
New visa program set
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday announced a 180-day visa program for retired Japanese 55 and over beginning on Feb. 1 in a bid to boost bilateral relations as well as the local tourism industry. The 180-day visa allows multiple entries over a period of six months. Ministry Spokesman Michel Lu (呂慶龍) said yesterday that the visa-waiver program is a reciprocation of Japan's offer of visa-free status to all Taiwanese last September and to promote tourism in Taiwan. "The average Japanese citizen's life expectancy is among the highest in the world. They're well suited for such visa benefit that Taiwan is offering," Lu said. Applicants must not have a felony record in Japan. They must also possess valid proof of a national pension, a financial statement of more than US$50,000 and valid overseas insurance coverage of more than six months. Currently Japanese receive visa-free status for stays up to 30 days.
■ Cross-strait ties
Trade piracy to be fought
Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said yesterday that the government will assist farmers to fight Chinese trademark infringement of renowned Taiwanese agricultural products. "The Straits Exchange Foundation sent a letter to China's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait yesterday, asking it to revoke all imitations," Wu said. If the Beijing authority is loath to respond to the request, Wu said the government might provide money for farmers to appeal to Chinese courts or the WTO to resolve the problem if necessary. According to Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Yun-sheng (林耘生), the infringement of Taiwanese trademarks in China includes wine from Puli, Hsinchu rice noodles, Hsiluo soy sauce, Tungting oolong tea and Tungkang seafood.
■ Cross-strait ties
Pandas get Minnan lessons
Two pandas chosen by China to offer as a gift to Taiwan are having language lessons, China's official Xinhua news agency reported yesterday. Keepers in charge of the two pandas have been singing to their charges in Minnan, a dialect commonly spoken in Taiwan, Xinhua said. "We began our language training with songs because music is a language with no boundaries," said Li Guo, the 25-year-old keeper who has taken care of the male cub, known as No. 19, since the panda was born, Xinhua reported. Li said the female cub, now known as No. 16, was a good student, while the male cub was more interested in munching on bamboo shoots.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
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