Taiwan is to improve communication with other nations to obtain the latest international counterterrorism information and is to increase security at its overseas representative offices, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Eleanor Wang (王珮玲) said yesterday, after the nation’s flag was shown for a second time in a video reportedly released by an extremist group.
Wang said the ministry was aware of a new video, claimed by the Islamic State (IS), which showed an image of the national flags of 60 nations, including Taiwan.
It is the second time in less than a month that the flag has been shown in an Islamic State video.
Wang said the ministry has asked its overseas representative offices to increase security and improve communication with host nations to obtain the latest counterterrorism information.
The ministry is also to update overseas travel information on the of the Bureau of Consular Affairs Web site as necessary, Wang said.
The new video depicts the Islamic State’s vision of the apocalypse, foreign media said.
It is titled Meeting at Dabiq, which refers to the location of a mythological final battle between Muslim and Crusader forces.
It also shows an Islamic State armored unit advancing toward the Roman Colosseum, in a reference to the imperial Roman Army of about 500 BC to 476 AD, reports said.
On Nov. 24, another video reportedly released by the Islamic State showed the flags of 60 nations, including Taiwan, which are part of an international coalition against the Islamic State group.
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
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
Chinese embassy staffers attempted to interrupt an award ceremony of an international tea competition in France when the organizer introduced Taiwan and displayed the Republic of China flag, a Taiwanese tea farmer said in an interview published today. Hsieh Chung-lin (謝忠霖), chief executive of Juxin Tea Factory from Taichung's Lishan (梨山) area, on Dec. 2 attended the Teas of the World International Contest held at the Peruvian embassy in Paris. Hsieh was awarded a special prize for his Huagang Snow Source Tea by the nonprofit Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products (AVPA). During the ceremony, two Chinese embassy staffers in attendance