The EU continues to support Taiwan’s participation in international forums to which the nation can contribute and hopes that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait will refrain from taking action that would intensify regional tensions, European Economic and Trade Office head Madeleine Majorenko said.
The EU strongly believes that “Taiwan should be allowed to play a useful role in the international community,” Majorenko said in an interview with the Central News Agency on Friday.
Majorenko made the remarks when asked to comment on China’s increased efforts to squeeze Taiwan diplomatically.
Photo: CNA
“It’s important for us that where Taiwan has something to add to the global discussion, Taiwan can be part of that discussion — and for this reason, we have supported Taiwan’s participation in international forums where Taiwan has something to add,” she said.
For example, Taiwan has scientific and medical knowledge relevant to dealing with public health challenges faced by the WHO, so the nation should be included in global cooperation efforts in the event of epidemic outbreaks, Majorenko added.
“Taiwan should be there. It is as simple as that,” she said. “We make this case in the WHO itself and we make the case globally when we speak with our other partners.”
Last year, the WHO did not invite Taiwan to participate as an observer in the World Health Assembly, the annual gathering of the WHO’s decisionmaking body in Geneva, Switzerland, due to objections from Beijing, although the nation was invited from 2009 to 2016 when the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) was in power.
Asked about Beijing persuading El Salvador to switch diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China, Majorenko said that both sides of the Taiwan Strait should refrain from taking steps that would increase tensions.
Nothing should be done by either side to worsen the already tense situation, where issues such as North Korea, environmental degradation, climate change, religious radicalization and the South China Sea must be dealt with, she added.
“The last thing we believe we need is more tension in the situation,” Majorenko said.
Asked about appeals by the Taiwanese government that democratic nations work together to counter China’s behavior worldwide, Majorenko said the EU would continue to support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations in which Taiwan has a key role to play.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it