A special task force has been created to help promote President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) “new southbound policy,” with an emphasis on using existing city-to-city relations to encourage bilateral visits and economic cooperation agreements, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
China’s efforts to marginalize Taiwan in the international community remain the nation’s greatest challenge, but non-traditional solutions, such as the “new southbound policy,” might provide alternative opportunities to enhance cooperation with other nations, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) said.
Regional missions have been asked to submit plans to establish city-based channels of communication between Taiwan and Southeast Asian nations on issues such as mutual visits, multilateral diplomatic visits involving the legislatures of each nation, setting the groundwork for economic cooperation agreements, stepping up medical interaction and expanding mutual training programs, the ministry said.
Taiwan’s advantage lies in its emphasis on democracy, freedom and human rights, Lee said, adding that since his appointment he had met with officials from nations that share the same values as Taiwan and found that they were sincerely interested in pursuing further cooperation.
Lee said he is “more optimistic than ever” about the policy and he has revised his views toward several nations with which Taiwan might pursue further ties.
In response to Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang’s (江啟臣) concerns that the policy is vacuous, Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Director-General Winston Chen (陳文儀) said the ministry plans to enhance existing sister-city ties.
Many local governments have sister-city relationships with Southeast Asian cities, but lack the motivation for further interactions, Chen said, adding that the ministry’s missions in the region could help bridge the gap between city governments.
On the ministry’s plans to shutter some of its missions, Lee said the ministry has decided to consolidate the nation’s diplomatic resources, adding that it would reallocate any freed-up resources to Southeast Asian nations.
In related news, Sports Administration Secretary-General Wang Han-chung (王漢忠) said the government has allocated NT$72.7 million (US$2.2 million) to encourage sports as a medium for international exchanges, particularly in Southeast Asia.
The agency is increasing its funding to local sports organizations for training and applying to join international competitions, while looking to invite Southeast Asian nations to Taiwan to participate in international friendlies, Wang said.
The agency plans to invite both private and government representatives from Southeast Asian nations to participate in meetings on sports policies in the hope of increasing bilateral talks between sports organizations, Wang said.
Additional reporting by Lin Tsung-wei
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
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
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