Diplomatisches Magazin, a German foreign affairs magazine, published a Taiwan issue this month to celebrate the inauguration of President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) second term on May 20.
“I am pleased that the elections led to a special feature on Taiwan,” said Klaus-Peter Willsch, chairman of the Berlin-Taipei Parliamentary Friendship Group and a member of the German parliament.
Willsch argued in the magazine’s editorial that Ma’s re-election seemed to indicate that Taiwanese favored a continuation of policies that have seen generally improved relations with China.
However, the parliamentarian noted that although Taiwan and Germany enjoy flourishing trade relations, political advancement has been difficult due to Germany’s narrow “one China” framework.
Willsch said his group was doing all it could to ensure that no new restrictions are imposed on Taiwan.
“Many colleagues regret that Taiwan is being ‘left by the wayside’ as far as politics is concerned — despite the flourishing trade relations — which is why they are active in the friendship group,” Willsch said.
“The abolition of the Schengen visa requirements and a double taxation treaty signed last year are great achievements, which we have fought for intensively,” he said.
Taiwan is Germany’s fifth--largest trade partner in the -Asia-Pacific region, and last year, bilateral trade between the two countries reached 13 billion euros (US$17 billion), Germany’s parliamentary secretary to the minister of economics and technology, Hans-Joachim Otto, wrote in the magazine.
Otto said that Taiwanese companies are becoming market leaders in information and communications technology, as well as in LED and photovoltaic technology.
Taiwan’s economic development in the Asia-Pacific region has been impressive, he added.
With the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with China in 2010, Taiwan had become an alternative gateway for German investors looking to invest in China, Otto said.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
INDUSTRY: Beijing’s latest export measures go beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related tech, an academic said Taiwanese industries could face significant disruption from China’s newly tightened export controls on rare earth elements, as much of Taiwan’s supply indirectly depends on Chinese materials processed in Japan, a local expert said yesterday. Kristy Hsu (徐遵慈), director of the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Center at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research, said that China’s latest export measures go far beyond targeting the US and would likely affect any country that uses Chinese rare earths or related technologies. With Japan and Southeast Asian countries among those expected to be hit, Taiwan could feel the impact through its reliance on Japanese-made semi-finished products and
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