The Presidential Office yesterday confirmed that President Chen Shui-bian (
"We believe that President Chen's upcoming visit will create a number of diplomatic breakthroughs in the Taiwan-US relationship," said a close aide to the president who is in charge of his schedule.
The aide yesterday told the Taipei Times that the president's two-week visit has been scheduled for May 21 to June 4 and that the whole delegation would make a stopover in New York on May 21 and 22.
"We are still seeking the US government's approval for a number of official activities, such as opportunities for President Chen to meet US congressmen," the aide said.
Chen made a stopover in Los Angeles during a trip last August to Latin America, but was prevented by the US government, under pressure from Beijing, from engaging in any public activity, or even meeting US political figures in private. The restrictions led to vociferous protests by many Taiwanese groups in the US.
"Taiwan's new government has interacted well with the US during the past year, and President Chen's continued expressions of sincere goodwill toward China have successfully stabilized the cross-strait situation, and won the US leaders' trust," the aide said.
"We have therefore received positive responses from the US government to our suggestions that it improve the treatment of Taiwan's president during his stopover," the aide added.
The Presidential Office is scheduled to announced today the itinerary for Chen's second overseas trip since taking office last May.
The aide said Chen is scheduled to leave Taipei May 21 for his five-country Central and South America visit aimed at shoring up relations with Taiwan's diplomatic allies in the region.
The tour will take Chen to El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay and Honduras, the sources said, adding that the president is scheduled to end his visit June 3, returning to Taiwan on June 4.
On his way home, the close aide said, Chen will make a stop-over in Houston, Texas, where he plans to visit a museum and library dedicated to former US President George Bush, and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The length of Chen's stopover in Houston remains unclear, as arrangements and negotiations with the US are continuing.
One of the major events on Chen's itinerary will be his attendance at a summit meeting between the senior leaders of Taiwan and its Central American allies, scheduled to open in El Salvador May 25.
The heads of state will exchange views on the integration of Central American countries and major regional development programs.
Chen will also tour a new residential community built with the assistance of Taiwan's largest charity -- the Buddhist Compassionate Relief Tzu Chi Foundation (
TYPHOON: The storm’s path indicates a high possibility of Krathon making landfall in Pingtung County, depending on when the storm turns north, the CWA said Typhoon Krathon is strengthening and is more likely to make landfall in Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said in a forecast released yesterday afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the CWA’s updated sea warning for Krathon showed that the storm was about 430km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point. It was moving in west-northwest at 9kph, with maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts of up to 155kph, CWA data showed. Krathon is expected to move further west before turning north tomorrow, CWA forecaster Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said. The CWA’s latest forecast and other countries’ projections of the storm’s path indicate a higher
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
TYPHOON DAY: Taitung, Pingtung, Tainan, Chiayi, Hualien and Kaohsiung canceled work and classes today. The storm is to start moving north this afternoon The outer rim of Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) at about noon yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that the eye of the storm was expected to hit land tomorrow. The CWA at 2:30pm yesterday issued a land alert for Krathon after issuing a sea alert on Sunday. It also expanded the scope of the sea alert to include waters north of Taiwan Strait, in addition to its south, from the Bashi Channel to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島). As of 6pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 160km south of
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) is set to issue sea and land warnings for Tropical Storm Krathon as projections showed that the tropical storm could strengthen into a typhoon as it approaches Taiwan proper, the CWA said yesterday. The sea warning is scheduled to take effect this morning and the land warning this evening, it said. The storm formed yesterday morning and in the evening reached a point 620 nautical miles (1,148km) southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, moving west-southwest at 4 kph as it strengthened, the CWA said. Its radius measured between 220km and 250km, it added. Krathon is projected
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