The nation's newly forged ties with Vanuatu remained mired in confusion yesterday, with Taiwanese officials insisting that relations have not been altered despite reports of a Cabinet statement from the South Pacific nation saying ties with Taiwan would be revoked.
"Our officials in Vanuatu spoke with the Prime Minister [Serge Vohor] this morning [Friday]. Vohor had assured them that nothing had changed and that they needed some time," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Michel Lu (
According to Lu, discussion of Vanuatu's ties with both Taiwan and China will come up again on Monday during a parliamentary session in Port Vila.
The Associated Press (AP) reported yesterday that Vohor had caved in to pressure from his Cabinet to abandon a deal granting diplomatic recognition to Taiwan. The report said "`Vohor's Council of Minsters had voted to `unilaterally and unequivocally revoke all agreements and undertakings ... made on behalf of Vanuatu,' a Cabinet statement said" late Thursday.
"Logically, it makes no sense to say the Cabinet agreed to a resolution on the matter, as there is still disagreement in the Cabinet," Lu said, saying that China had been spreading rumors about the Cabinet's decision to back the "one China" principle.
Lu also said that the ministry was on top of the debacle in the tiny South Pacific nation, saying that they had spoken with Vanuatuan government spokesman Kalvau Moli who had denied reports that ties with Taiwan would be dissolved.
"Our flag is still flying high in Vanuatu," Lu said.
The AP reported that Moli had said that the premier "will go by the decision ... the verdict of the Council of Ministers" and break his agreement to recognize Taiwan.
The report further said that Vanuatu's ministers said they "will request the Peoples' Republic of China to consider providing budgetary assistance" to Vanuatu.
"In a letter to the Chinese government dated Nov. 6, and published Friday in a local newspaper, Vohor said that `Taiwan has recently indicated its commitment to provide US$20 million budgetary support annually for five years to the Vanuatu government,'" the report said.
"It's their culture. They are Melanesian and would rather avoid confrontation. They prefer to sit down and discuss the matter," Lu said, saying some more time would be needed to resolve the controversy.
South Korea has adjusted its electronic arrival card system to no longer list Taiwan as a part of China, a move that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said would help facilitate exchanges between the two sides. South Korea previously listed “Taiwan” as “Taiwan (China)” in the drop-down menus of its online arrival card system, where people had to fill out where they came from and their next destination. The ministry had requested South Korea make a revision and said it would change South Korea’s name on Taiwan’s online immigration system from “Republic of Korea” to “Korea (South),” should the issue not be
The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee yesterday approved proposed amendments to the Amusement Tax Act (娛樂稅法) that would abolish taxes on films, cultural activities and competitive sporting events, retaining the fee only for dance halls and golf courses. The proposed changes would set the maximum tax rate for dance halls and golf courses at 50 and 20 percent respectively, with local governments authorized to suspend the levies. Article 2 of the act says that “amusement tax shall be levied on tickets sold or fees charged by amusement places, facilities or activities” in six categories: “Cinema; professional singing, story-telling, dancing, circus, magic show, acrobatics
Tainan, Taipei and New Taipei City recorded the highest fines nationwide for illegal accommodations in the first quarter of this year, with fines issued in the three cities each exceeding NT$7 million (US$220,639), Tourism Administration data showed. Among them, Taipei had the highest number of illegal short-term rental units, with 410. There were 3,280 legally registered hotels nationwide in the first quarter, down by 14 properties, or 0.43 percent, from a year earlier, likely indicating operators exiting the market, the agency said. However, the number of unregistered properties rose to 1,174, including 314 illegal hotels and 860 illegal short-term rental
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