The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has expressed its hope that the US revise the ban on visits by the foreign minister and defense minister to Washington, and other “outdated” rules governing bilateral exchanges between the two countries, a ministry official said yesterday.
Following the re-election of US President Barack Obama, the ministry expressed its hope that the US would provide more support for the nation’s bids to join international organizations, enhance its security commitments and continue to send high-ranking officials to Taiwan, as well as adjust some “outdated” rules that regulate bilateral relations, Bruce Linghu (令狐榮達), director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of North American Affairs, said at a regular press briefing.
Asked to elaborate on the “outdated” rules, Linghu cited as an example that the US does allow Taiwan’s foreign minister and defense minister to visit Washington.
“Despite the fact that the situation has improved a great deal, there remain some restrictions with regard to exchanges between government officials. Our foreign minister and defense minister can’t go to Washington because of issues of political sensitivity,” he said.
“We are expecting some adjustments to be made,” he said.
Linghu added that the ministry hopes the major bilateral trade talks under the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) platform would be resumed as early as next year, if not by the end of this year.
TIFA negotiations have been suspended since 2007 due to disputes over US beef imports.
A US delegation comprising officials from various US agencies visited Taiwan last month to meet with local officials in preparation for a resumption of talks after Taiwan opened its doors to imports of beef containing traces of the feed additive ractopamine in September.
In other news, Linghu urged the public to be honest when applying for online travel authorization, a requirement for visiting the US under its Visa-Waiver Program (VWP).
He cited a case in which a Taiwanese who had planned to visit the US on the program was denied entry after lying about having been previously denied a US visa.
Under the program, Taiwanese business travelers and tourists who hold e-passports no longer need to obtain a visa to enter the US, but instead need to apply for travel authorization online, which allows multiple stays of up to 90 days over a two-year period.
In a reciprocal arrangement, Americans will now be able to visit Taiwan without a visa for up to 90 days instead of the previous maximum of 30 days, which is expected to boost business exchanges, Linghu said.
Additional reporting by CNA
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it