The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) continued to be evasive on exactly when Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Chairman Chen Yunlin (陳雲林) would visit Taiwan, but confirmed the trip would take place before the end of the year in spite of recent protests over contaminated milk powder from China.
“We have not decided on an exact date but the general direction has been set,” council spokesman Liu Teh-hsun (劉德勳) said.
“We are aiming for the end of October or beginning of November,” Liu said.
Some pundits have speculated that Chen would visit next month because the many national flags decorating streets in Taipei for Double Ten national day celebrations would stay up until the end of the month.
Chen will visit Taipei for a second round of face-to-face talks with Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤). On the agenda will be direct cargo flights, direct sea links and food safety concerns.
The first talks between the SEF and ARATS were held in June in Beijing, when the two sides signed agreements to allow more Chinese tourists into Taiwan and begin weekend chartered flights.
Liu was also evasive about when the preparatory meeting for the second round of talks would occur, but hinted that the date and venue of the preparatory meeting should be nailed down sometime this week.
When asked if the foundation would demand Chen publicly apologize for Chinese melamine-tainted products, Liu said such a move would be superfluous because Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) has already made such a request.
In a question-and-answer session at the legislature last Tuesday, Liu demanded an apology from China for allowing products contaminated with melamine to be exported to Taiwan.
“It would be up to Chen’s conscience whether he apologizes or not,” Liu said.
Last week the government sent a group of health experts to Beijing to discuss the establishment of a platform to prevent the importation of substandard Chinese food.
Former council chairman Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) has strongly criticized the delegation’s trip as detrimental to Taiwan’s attempts to join the WHO.
“It sends a false message to the WHO and the rest of the international community that China is watching out for Taiwan’s public health and therefore Taiwan has no need to join the WHO,” Wu said.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented
RSS