Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Javier Hou (侯清山) yesterday denied that there are any diplomatic issues with Saint Lucia, after Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) on Monday told lawmakers that relations with one or more of the nation’s diplomatic allies in the Caribbean are “kind of unstable.”
Diplomatic relations with Caribbean nations are somewhat unstable, Lee said, but added “they are still under control.”
It has been speculated that Saint Lucia — one of Taiwan’s 12 diplomatic allies in Central and South America and the Caribbean Community — might be the nation in question, as Taiwan’s ambassador to Saint Lucia has recently been replaced, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Jason Hsu (許毓仁) told the media on Monday.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Hou denied that the situation was unstable.
The new ambassador to Saint Lucia, Shen Cheng-tsung (沈正宗), former director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney, yesterday arrived in Saint Lucia, Hou said, adding that replacement was part of the ministry’s routine rotation.
“[Shen] will be meeting with the country’s governor-general on Thursday,” the deputy minister said, adding that Taiwan has been attending meetings concerning cooperation on development projects in Saint Lucia.
“[The situation] is unstable because China has been ‘setting fires’ in the region,” he added.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wang Ding-yu (王定宇) said China has always been “setting fires” to Taiwan’s foreign ties and asked why Saint Lucia has been targeted.
Beijing is “making movesm, particularly in the Caribbean region,” Hou said.
Ministry spokesperson Eleanor Wang (王珮玲) said that Taiwan and Saint Lucia have had good relations since the two nations resumed diplomatic ties in 2007.
Former ambassador to Saint Lucia Ray Mou (牟華瑋) was not “replaced,” but “reassigned” to head the Taiwan Commercial Representative Office in the State of Kuwait after a year-and-a-half in Saint Lucia.
Separately yesterday, Mainland Affairs Council Minister Katharine Chang (張小月) criticized China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Minister Zhang Zhijun (張志軍), who said that “the end of Taiwanese independence will be unification,” which would be “costly.”
“Verbal and military threats are of no help to a stable cross-strait relationship and only alienate and antagonize Taiwanese,” she said, calling on Beijing to assume a pragmatic and rational attitude when dealing with cross-strait issues.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has been “giving a lot explanations about how [she would maintain a stable cross-strait relationship], so we are hoping to continue accumulating mutual goodwill based on this foundation,” Premier Lin Chuan (林全) said.
“There is no need to make unnecessary guesses or remarks,” Lin added.
During a legislative question-and-answer session, Chang called Zhang’s remarks “inappropriate” for a TAO minister.
However, she added that since assuming office, she has not had the chance to speak with Zhang directly.
Additional Reporting by Lu Yi-hsuan
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
RSS