The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said that Taiwan and Japan are still negotiating on the date for a second meeting in preparation for a new round of bilateral talks on fishing rights near the disputed Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台).
Su Chii-cherng (蘇啟誠), deputy director-general of the ministry’s Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said the two countries are still negotiating over the date and agenda of the second preparatory meeting, adding that they hope the meeting will close a gap opened by the previous meeting.
Wire reports said tension in the disputed island chain in the East China Sea — which Japan calls the Senkakus — could be escalating after Chinese military planes recently approached an area north of the islands and flew inside Japan’s air defense identification zone, prompting Japan to scramble fighter jets in the area.
In response to the matter, Su said Tokyo intends to continue fishery talks with Taiwan and he forecast that the talks will not be affected by the tensions between China and Japan.
Taiwan and Japan held their first preparatory meeting in late November last year in Tokyo in an effort to restart a new round of formal fisheries talks, which would be the 17th round since 1996.
The two countries made little progress at the meeting last year, but said they would continue to negotiate with sincerity and goodwill so that a second preparatory meeting can be convened.
The uninhabited island chain, which lies about 100 nautical miles (185km) northeast of Taiwan, is said to sit atop valuable mineral resources is surrounded by rich fishing grounds.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
RSS