US Secretary of State John Kerry held a one-hour breakfast meeting with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) on Thursday in New York, discussing issues that included the South China Sea and human rights.
During a briefing given later by a senior US Department of State official, Taiwan was not mentioned.
On the South China Sea, the official said that Kerry underscored the US view that it was very important for all claimants to be consistent with international law.
Kerry also reaffirmed the US’ position that conduct in disputed areas must be “careful and without intimidation.”
Kerry strongly urged that only “diplomatic and peaceful means” be used to address areas of difference, the official said.
“This was not a negotiating session, this was a strategy session,” the official said.
Both Wang and Kerry were in New York for the UN General Assembly.
Sources have told the Taipei Times that during private meetings over the last few days, Wang has discussed arms sales to Taiwan with Pentagon officials and with Kerry.
This follows a lengthy speech at the Brookings Institution in Washington last week when Wang said that the Asia-Pacific region was not only the world’s fastest-growing and most promising region, it was also home to “most of the hotspot issues.”
He also said that the US must respect China’s interests and concerns.
“The ‘Taiwan question’ concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Wang said. “Gradual integration of the two sides through two-way interactions and cooperation will lead to ultimate reunification. This is a historical trend that no one can stop.”
Wang said that for many years, the “Taiwan question” has been a liability in China-US relations that has undermined mutual trust as well as disrupting cooperation.
“However, if the United States can go along with the prevailing trend of peaceful development of cross-strait relations and genuinely appreciate and respect China’s efforts to oppose separation and achieve peaceful reunification, the issue — once a liability and negative factor in our relationship — will be turned into an asset and a positive factor, providing guarantee to the long-term, steady growth of China-US relations and opening [the] prospect for all-round cooperation,” the minister said.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
The age requirement for commercial pilots and airline transport pilots is to be lowered by two years, to 18 and 21 years respectively, to expand the pool of pilots in accordance with international standards, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced today. The changes are part of amendments to articles 93, 119 and 121 of the Regulations Governing Licenses and Ratings for Airmen (航空人員檢定給證管理規則). The amendments take into account age requirements for aviation personnel certification in the Convention on International Civil Aviation and EU’s aviation safety regulations, as well as the practical needs of managing aviation personnel licensing, the ministry said. The ministry
RSS