The government does not recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, in response to a lawmaker’s questions prompted by US President Donald Trump’s announcement last week.
Taiwan has no diplomatic relations with Israel or Palestine.
Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and is relocating the US embassy there from Tel Aviv, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tsai Shih-ying (蔡適應) said during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee.
Tsai then asked ministry officials whether the government agrees with the US position.
Taiwan does not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, as the Israeli claim is contentious in the international community, Department of West Asian and African Affairs Director-General Chen Chun-shen (陳俊賢) said.
The government’s policy is to follow the international consensus, Chen said.
However, the ministry’s Web site for Israel lists Jerusalem as the capital, with a qualifier in brackets that the city’s status is not widely recognized internationally and that the nation’s diplomatic mission is in Tel Aviv.
Asked by Tsai to clarify the ministry’s position on Palestine, Chen said its situation is exceptional, as it has UN observer status, but does not enjoy diplomatic recognition as a state.
Most nations conduct exchanges with Palestine in the same way they would deal with a foreign state without formally recognizing its statehood, Chen said.
Tsai said Palestine obtaining UN observer status shows that it has “one-upped” Taiwan and the nation might need to build a better rapport with Palestine.
Palestine’s efforts within a few decades put them on the path to normal statehood, he said.
“Taiwan might have things to learn from it,” he added.
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
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday expressed “grave concerns” after Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (黃循財) reiterated the city-state’s opposition to “Taiwanese independence” during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強). In Singapore on Saturday, Wong and Li discussed cross-strait developments, the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Prime Minister Wong reiterated that Singapore has a clear and consistent ‘one China’ policy and is opposed to Taiwan independence,” it said. MOFA responded that it is an objective fact and a common understanding shared by many that the Republic of China (ROC) is an independent, sovereign nation, with world-leading
COOLING OFF: Temperatures are expected to fall to lows of about 20°C on Sunday and possibly 18°C to 19°C next week, following a wave of northeasterly winds on Friday The Central Weather Administration (CWA) on Sunday forecast more rain and cooler temperatures for northern Taiwan this week, with the mercury dropping to lows of 18°C, as another wave of northeasterly winds sweeps across the country. The current northeasterly winds would continue to affect Taiwan through today, with precipitation peaking today, bringing increased rainfall to windward areas, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng (劉沛滕) said. The weather system would weaken slightly tomorrow before another, stronger wave arrives on Friday, lasting into next week, Liu said. From yesterday to today, northern Taiwan can expect cool, wet weather, with lows of 22°C to 23°C in most areas,
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