The Chinese Nationalist Party's (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) yesterday said the recent rumors about the instability of diplomatic ties between Taiwan and Malawi is a result of low trust in relations between Taiwan and the US.
Ma said many of the nation's allies evaluate their relations with Taiwan by assessing the level of US support for Taiwan.
He vowed to restore mutual trust between Taiwan and the US by strengthening Taiwan's diplomatic efforts toward the US.
"[I] will not be a trouble-maker but a peace-maker [if elected]," he said, adding that he was "certain" that this approach would help Taiwan establish diplomatic relations with other countries.
Ma made the remarks when asked by reporters for comment on the recent news concerning Taiwan-Malawi relations.
The abrupt cancelation of a meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (黃志芳), who was en route to Malawi, and high-ranking Malawian officials on Thursday, prompted speculation that Malawi could be considering severing its 41-year-old ties with Taiwan.
Ben Mbewe, secretary for Malawi's foreign affairs office, claimed Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika was not available to receive Taiwan's envoy because "he was still on vacation" and that the government was not informed in time for Huang's visit.
Huang and his delegation were forced to make a last minute detour to another African ally, Swaziland.
Malawian Foreign Minister Joyce Hilda Banda was quoted in a Central News Agency (CNA) report on Saturday as saying that before Malawi reached a decision on changing relations with Taiwan or China, any reports or information about such a decision were pure speculation.
Costa Rican Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno extended similar reassurances last June -- two days before the country cut off six decades of ties with Taiwan in favor of ties with Beijing.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
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