Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) and his Paraguayan counterpart Federico Franco presided over the ceremonial issuing of a set of commemorative postage stamps marking Paraguay’s bicentennial and the Republic of China’s centennial.
“It is a privilege for me to witness this precious moment of bilateral friendship,” Siew said.
Franco expressed appreciation for Taiwan’s long-term assistance to his country and said he hoped that Taiwanese businesses would invest in Paraguay because it is an investment haven with low taxes and a good electricity supply.
Photo: CNA
The stamps have been issued simultaneously in Taiwan and Paraguay. The picture on the Taiwanese stamps is the “Martyrs’ Shrine,” while on the Paraguayan stamps it is the “National Pantheon of the Heroes.”
This is the third time that the two countries have jointly issued stamps. In 2002 and 2007 they issued commemorative stamps to mark the 45th and 50th anniversary respectively of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties.
Siew is visiting Paraguay as President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) envoy ti the country’s celebrations of its 200th anniversary of independence.
After wrapping up his trip to Paraguay, Siew flew to Panama, where he was greeted by Panamanian Vice President Juan Carlos Varela, as well as enthusiastic Taiwanese expatriates waving Republic of China flags and chanting “Viva Taiwan.”
Taiwanese expatriates later welcomed him to the Hotel Riu Plaza Panama with a traditional lion dance show.
Siew is expected to meet Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli and sign a visa-waiver agreement with him.
ALIGNED THINKING: Taiwan and Japan have a mutual interest in trade, culture and engineering, and can work together for stability, Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan and Japan are two like-minded countries willing to work together to form a “safety barrier” in the Indo-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said at the opening ceremony of the 35th Taiwan-Japan Modern Engineering and Technology Symposium in Taipei. Taiwan and Japan are close geographically and closer emotionally, he added. Citing the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in September, Cho said the submersible water level sensors given by Japan during the disaster helped Taiwan monitor the lake’s water levels more accurately. Japan also provided a lot of vaccines early in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday voiced dissatisfaction with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), whose latest meeting, concluded earlier the same day, appeared not to address the country’s application. In a statement, MOFA said the CPTPP commission had "once again failed to fairly process Taiwan’s application," attributing the inaction to the bloc’s "succumbing to political pressure," without elaborating. Taiwan submitted its CPTPP application under the name "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu" on Sept. 22, 2021 -- less than a week after China
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) on Monday announced light shows and themed traffic lights to welcome fans of South Korean pop group Twice to the port city. The group is to play Kaohsiung on Saturday as part of its “This Is For” world tour. It would be the group’s first performance in Taiwan since its debut 10 years ago. The all-female group consists of five South Koreans, three Japanese and Tainan’s Chou Tzu-yu (周子瑜), the first Taiwan-born and raised member of a South Korean girl group. To promote the group’s arrival, the city has been holding a series of events, including a pop-up
A home-style restaurant opened by a Taiwanese woman in Quezon City in Metro Manila has been featured in the first-ever Michelin Guide honoring exceptional restaurants in the Philippines. The restaurant, Fong Wei Wu (豐味屋), was one of 74 eateries to receive a “Michelin Selected” honor in the guide, while one restaurant received two Michelin stars, eight received one star and 25 were awarded a “Bib Gourmand.” The guide, which was limited to restaurants in Metro Manila and Cebu, was published on Oct. 30. In an interview, Feng Wei Wu’s owner and chef, Linda, said that as a restaurateur in her 60s, receiving an