President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) telephoned new Nauru President Marcus Stephen and new Solomon Islands Prime Minister Derek Sikua on Thursday to congratulate them on their election victories, a Presidential Office news release said.
The press statement said Chen invited the new leaders of the nation's two South Pacific diplomatic allies to visit Taiwan in the near future to exchange views on matters of mutual interest, including measures to expand bilateral cooperation.
The statement said Chen assured both the Nauruan president and the Solomon Islands' prime minister that his administration would continue various cooperative projects with the countries.
He also called for continued support from the two countries for the nation's bid to join major international organizations, including the UN.
Stephen told Chen that he values his country's ties with Taiwan and would work to increase cooperation in various fields. Stephen also expressed his gratitude for the nation's longtime support and aid to his country, the Presidential Office statement said.
Meanwhile, Sikua expressed hope that Chen would either attend in person or name a special envoy to attend celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the founding of his country, scheduled to be held on Jan. 31.
Sikua also told Chen that the Solomon Islands would like to host the 2009 Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit and that he would do his utmost to help Taiwan join the UN and the WHO.
The third Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit is scheduled to take place in Kaohsiung next year.
Chen invited Sikua and Stephen to attend the meeting and expressed his hope that Taiwan and the Solomon Islands would wrap up talks on a free trade agreement as soon as possible and ink the deal.
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Yilan County at 8:39pm tonight, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The epicenter was 38.7km east-northeast of Yilan County Hall at a focal depth of 98.3km, the CWA’s Seismological Center said. The quake’s maximum intensity, which gauges the actual physical effect of a seismic event, was a level 4 on Taiwan’s 7-tier intensity scale, the center said. That intensity level was recorded in Yilan County’s Nanao Township (南澳), Hsinchu County’s Guansi Township (關西), Nantou County’s Hehuanshan (合歡山) and Hualien County’s Yanliao (鹽寮). An intensity of 3 was
Instead of focusing solely on the threat of a full-scale military invasion, the US and its allies must prepare for a potential Chinese “quarantine” of Taiwan enforced through customs inspections, Stanford University Hoover fellow Eyck Freymann said in a Foreign Affairs article published on Wednesday. China could use various “gray zone” tactics in “reconfiguring the regional and ultimately the global economic order without a war,” said Freymann, who is also a nonresident research fellow at the US Naval War College. China might seize control of Taiwan’s links to the outside world by requiring all flights and ships entering or leaving Taiwan
The next minimum wage hike is expected to exceed NT$30,000, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday during an award ceremony honoring “model workers,” including migrant workers, at the Presidential Office ahead of Workers’ Day today. Lai said he wished to thank the awardees on behalf of the nation and extend his most sincere respect for their hard work, on which Taiwan’s prosperity has been built. Lai specifically thanked 10 migrant workers selected for the award, saying that although they left their home countries to further their own goals, their efforts have benefited Taiwan as well. The nation’s industrial sector and small businesses lay
Taiwan's first indigenous defense submarine, the SS-711 Hai Kun (海鯤, or Narwhal), departed for its 13th sea trial at 7am today, marking its seventh submerged test, with delivery to the navy scheduled for July. The outing also marked its first sea deployment since President William Lai (賴清德) boarded the submarine for an inspection on March 19, drawing a crowd of military enthusiasts who gathered to show support. The submarine this morning departed port accompanied by CSBC Corp’s Endeavor Manta (奮進魔鬼魚號) uncrewed surface vessel and a navy M109 assault boat. Amid public interest in key milestones such as torpedo-launching operations and overnight submerged trials,
RSS