Now is the best time for Taiwan and the US to resume official diplomatic ties as US President Donald Trump’s administration features many pro-Taiwan Cabinet members and is backed by a Taiwan-friendly Congress, former premier Yu Shyi-kun said on Saturday.
Most pro-Taiwanese independence activists like himself considered it important for the nation to join the UN under the name Taiwan instead of reentering the UN under the name of the Republic of China, Yu said on the sidelines of a Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) banquet in Washington.
The key to making this possible relies heavily on the assistance of the US government, he said.
Photo: CNA
The chances will be much higher for Taiwan to become a UN member state if the US officially recognizes Taiwan as a nation, and restores official diplomatic relations with it, he added.
Yu said he believes under Trump, Taiwan has its highest chance to see the US officially recognize it, as Trump is a non-traditionalist who is not afraid of changing the “status quo” to serve US interests.
“Before Trump, there was zero possibility that the US could consider forming ties with Taiwan, now the chances are gradually increasing,” he said.
US Vice President Mike Pence and several senior Cabinet members, including US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are pro-Taiwan and anti-China, he said.
Both chambers of the US Congress are in sync the administration, he added.
Another key factor is President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who is strongly trusted by the US, Yu said.
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
The long-awaited Taichung aquarium is expected to open next year after more than a decade of development. The building in Cingshui District (清水) is to feature a large ocean aquarium on the first floor, coral display area on the second floor, a jellyfish tank and Dajia River (大甲溪) basin display on the third, a river estuary display and restaurant on the fourth, and a cafe and garden on the fifth. As it is near Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港), many are expecting the opening of the aquarium to bring more tourism to the harbor. Speaking at the city council on Monday, Taichung City Councilor
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese