Several permanent representatives to the UN of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies arrived in Taiwan yesterday at the start of a six-day visit, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.
The delegation comprises permanent representatives to the UN Lois Michele Young of Belize, Aunese Makoi Simati of Tuvalu and his wife, Carlos Enrique Garcia Gonzalez of El Salvador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Jose Blanco of the Dominican Republic. The diplomats were invited by the government, the ministry said.
“The four visiting ambassadors have considerable diplomatic experience, are acquainted with the UN and have been friendly toward the ROC [Republic of China]. Their countries have lent strong support to increased ROC participation in the international arena and helped promote Taiwan’s bids to participate in UN specialized agencies,” the ministry said.
The ministry said the delegation would offer advice and exchange views on the government’s endeavors to secure meaningful participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as on approaches to enhancing interaction between Taiwan and the UN.
The ambassadors will meet President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平), Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂), Department of Health Minister Chiu Wen-ta (邱文達) and Minister of Environmental Protection Stephen Shen (沈世宏), the ministry said.
They will also tour the International Cooperation and Development Fund, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, the National Palace Museum, Kaohsiung Harbor and the fishery museum in Pingtung County, the ministry said.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group