Singapore and New Zealand made the unprecedented move of publicly commending Taiwan for its efforts to alleviate cross-strait tensions during the UN General Assembly debate on Monday, saying stability in the Taiwan Strait was crucial to the harmony in the Asian region, a Central News Agency (CNA) report said yesterday.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband also penned a letter for the first time on behalf of Prime Minister Gordon Brown to the British-Taiwan All Party Parliamentary Group, stating London’s support for Taiwan’s participation in “specialized multilateral groups” such as the WHO.
“In particular, we strongly support the principle enshrined in the WHO Constitution that the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being. It is important therefore that Taiwan should be able to interact effectively with the WHO, not just to protect the interests of its own population but also to ensure the integrity of the global health safety net,” the letter said.
“We welcome the fact that ... Taiwan decided to adopt a more pragmatic approach towards the issue of UN participation ... We believe that the ongoing dialogue between China and Taiwan represents an opportunity to make progress on international representation and wider practical confidence building measures,” it said.
The letter was sent to Sir Nicholas Winterton, the chairman of the group.
“We highly approve and welcome supports from our friends,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesman Henry Chen (陳銘政) said yesterday.
The positive feedback, Chen said, shows that the international community — including a public statement from the US and EU — approves of Taiwan’s pragmatic approach to the issue.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
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