Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) yesterday shrugged off Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s (李顯龍) concerns that Taiwan would be left stranded in the event of a cross-strait conflict, saying that there is no such problem.
Lin made the remarks on the sidelines of an international law forum on South China Sea disputes at Soochow University in Taipei, which was attended by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and dozens of academics.
“There is no such problem. We will do our utmost to [promote Taiwan’s] international status,” Lin said when asked to comment on remarks Lee made in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Mar. 29 during a visit to the US, the transcript of which was shared by the prime minister on Facebook on Wednesday.
Lin said Ma has endeavored to promote Taiwan’s roles as a peacemaker and a provider of humanitarian aid in the international arena and to assuage tensions in the South China Sea.
“All of these are positive developments,” said Lin, who has been at the center of media attention in the past few days following Kenya’s forced deportation of 45 Taiwanese to Beijing on Friday last week and on Tuesday.
The incident has fueled anti-China sentiment in Taiwan and raised concerns that it could cause cross-strait ties to run aground.
In the lengthy interview, Lee expressed hope that progress made across the Taiwan Strait under the Ma administration would be maintained and broadened by the incoming Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government.
However, Lee voiced concern over the growing consciousness of a Taiwanese identity in recent years, which he said could constrain what any Taiwanese leader would be able to.
“At the same time, I think Taiwanese fully understand that if they collide with China, they will be on their own,” said Lee, who reportedly played a facilitating role in the meeting between Ma and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in Singapore in November last year.
Lee said that should Taiwan opt for independence, it would not have the support of the US.
“At least the previous [US] administrations made their position very clear,” he added.
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
Temperatures in northern Taiwan are forecast to reach as high as 30°C today, as an ongoing northeasterly seasonal wind system weakens, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said yesterday that with the seasonal wind system weakening, warmer easterly winds would boost the temperature today. Daytime temperatures in northern Taiwan and Yilan County are expected to range from 28°C to 30°C today, up about 3°C from yesterday, Tseng said. According to the CWA, temperature highs in central and southern Taiwan could stay stable. However, the weather is expected to turn cooler starting tonight as the northeasterly wind system strengthens again
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
RSS