Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) is today to lead a Taiwanese delegation on a six-day visit to two of the nation’s Central American allies, El Salvador and Belize, the ministry said in a press release yesterday.
Wu is to tell high-level government officials from the two countries the importance that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) attaches to Taiwan’s relations and cooperative programs with them, the ministry said.
The trip was arranged at the invitation of Salvadoran Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Castaneda and Belizean Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington, it said.
According to Wu’s itinerary, he would be visiting El Salvador from today to Sunday, during which he is to meet with Salvadoran President Salvador Sanchez Ceren, Salvadoran Vice President Oscar Ortiz, Salvadoran Legislative Assembly President Norman Quijano and Castaneda.
Wu is also to meet with Salvadoran government officials from other agencies, as well as the leaders of its ruling and opposition parties, the ministry said, adding that he is to exchange opinions with them on bilateral ties and cooperative programs.
A meeting has been scheduled between Wu and Central American Integration System secretary-general Vinicio Cerezo to gain a deeper understanding of the development of cooperative programs between Taiwan and the regional organization, the ministry added.
Wu would deliver to Sanchez a letter from Tsai congratulating the Central American nation for the scheduled canonization of late Salvadoran archbishop Oscar Romero during the synod of bishops on Oct. 14 in Rome.
After concluding his visit in El Salvador, Wu would go to Belize for a two-day visit, during which he is to meet with Belizean Prime Minister Dean Barrow, Belizean Senate President Lee Mark Chang (鄭經緯), Belizean House of Representatives Deputy President Omar Figueroa, Elrington and other politicians, the ministry said.
Elrington is to confer the Order of Distinction on Wu for his dedication to promoting public and private-sector exchanges between the two nations, it added.
The trip comes amid the Chinese government’s intensified attempts to poach Taiwan’s diplomatic allies as a way of punishing the Tsai administration for refusing to toe its line.
Taiwan has lost four diplomatic allies since Tsai took office in May 2016: Sao Tome and Principe, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Burkina Faso.
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) yesterday said that private-sector refiners are willing to stop buying Russian naphtha should the EU ask them to, after a group of non-governmental organizations, including the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), criticized the nation’s continued business with the country. While Taiwan joined the US and its Western allies in putting broad sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, it did not explicitly ban imports of naphtha, a major hard-currency earner for Russia. While state-owned firms stopped importing Russian oil in 2023, there is no restriction on private companies to
President William Lai (賴清德) is expected to announce a new advanced “all-domain” air defense system to better defend against China when he gives his keynote national day speech today, four sources familiar with the matter said. Taiwan is ramping up defense spending and modernizing its armed forces, but faces a China that has a far larger military and is adding its own advanced new weapons such as stealth fighter jets, aircraft carriers and a huge array of missiles. Lai is expected to announce the air defense system dubbed “Taiwan Dome” in his speech this morning, one of the sources said. The system
RSS