Taiwan is to donate US$800,000 to relief efforts for Tropical Storm Harvey, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday, continuing a long history of similar donations.
The donation is to help the local government provide disaster relief and help victims in rebuilding, the ministry said in a statement, adding that it is a practical measure to assist residents in resuming everyday life after the storm caused massive flooding in Texas.
“We have good relations with the US and a strong friendship between our peoples, and we feel for the disaster victims because we ourselves face typhoons every summer and fall,” the ministry said.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office will talk to “related American agencies” and pick an appropriate time to make the donation, it said.
The announcement follows a Twitter post by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday expressing support for storm victims in Houston, Texas.
“Our thoughts are with ppl of Houston as they weather an unprecedented crisis,” Tsai wrote.
Taiwan previously made a US$3 million donation to the US following Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and was the single largest international donor to Japan following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
The US last year donated US$500,000 in the wake of the Kaohsiung Meinong (美農) earthquake.
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