The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked Washington for promising to involve Taiwan in a planned democracy summit.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday said that he is committed to having US President Joe Biden’s administration begin talks on a free-trade agreement between the two nations, and invite Taiwan to the Summit for Democracy, which the US plans to host later this year.
During a US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing on Wednesday, US Representative Young Kim said that for decades, Taiwan has been an invaluable security and global health partner of the US, and that Taiwan deserves to be included in the WHO.
Photo: Reuters
Kim also urged the Biden administration to include Taiwan in the Summit for Democracy and to begin bilateral negotiations for a free-trade agreement.
Blinken told the hearing that he is “absolutely committed to working on it.”
“Taiwan is a strong democracy, a very strong technological power and a country that can contribute to the world” in areas such as combating the COVID-19 pandemic, Blinken added.
At a news briefing in Taipei, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) thanked Blinken for reiterating the US’ steadfast support for Taiwan.
The government would continue to work closely with the Biden administration to defend democracy, address global health challenges and tackle trade issues, Ou added.
Meanwhile, the ministry said that Taiwan and the US would stay in contact regarding a meeting of top US and China diplomats in Anchorage, Alaska, on Thursday next week.
The White House on Wednesday announced that Blinken and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan would meet with Chinese Central Foreign Affairs Commission Director Yang Jiechi (楊潔篪) and Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅).
The ministry has had discussions with Washington and hopes the US administration would brief Taipei after the meeting with China, Ou said.
Yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) and American Institute in Taiwan Director Brent Christensen issued a joint statement on advancing a bilateral partnership on high availability disaster recovery (HADR).
The statement followed a workshop on building resilience to disasters under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, which was opened by Wu, Christensen, Japanese Representative to Taiwan Hiroyasu Izumi and British Representative to Taiwan John Dennis.
The US and Taiwan are embarking on a six-month series of activities, from yesterday — the 10th anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that resulted in the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster in Japan — to Sept. 21 — the 22nd anniversary of the 921 Earthquake in Taiwan, the statement said.
“These activities will expand our already robust cooperation in the HADR space, raise public and international awareness about Taiwan’s outsized role in HADR efforts and support activities that foster personal resilience within Taiwan’s communities,” the statement read, adding that Japan and the UK would also be collaborating.
Additional reporting by CNA
DEFENSE: The first set of three NASAMS that were previously purchased is expected to be delivered by the end of this year and deployed near the capital, sources said Taiwan plans to procure 28 more sets of M-142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), as well as nine additional sets of National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), military sources said yesterday. Taiwan had previously purchased 29 HIMARS launchers from the US and received the first 11 last year. Once the planned purchases are completed and delivered, Taiwan would have 57 sets of HIMARS. The army has also increased the number of MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) purchased from 64 to 84, the sources added. Each HIMARS launch pod can carry six Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, capable of
TRAJECTORY: The severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday, and would influence the nation to varying degrees, a forecaster said The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said it would likely issue a sea warning for Tropical Storm Podul tomorrow morning and a land warning that evening at the earliest. CWA forecaster Lin Ting-yi (林定宜) said the severe tropical storm is predicted to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving west at 21kph and packing sustained winds of 108kph and gusts of up to 136.8kph, the CWA said. Lin said that the tropical storm was about 1,710km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, with two possible trajectories over the next one
Tropical Storm Podul strengthened into a typhoon at 8pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, with a sea warning to be issued late last night or early this morning. As of 8pm, the typhoon was 1,020km east of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving west at 23kph. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts reaching 155kph, the CWA said. Based on the tropical storm’s trajectory, a land warning could be issued any time from midday today, it added. CWA forecaster Chang Chun-yao (張竣堯) said Podul is a fast-moving storm that is forecast to bring its heaviest rainfall and strongest
CRITICISM: It is deeply regrettable that China, which is pursuing nuclear weapons, has suppressed Taiwan, which is pursuing peace, a government official said Representative to Japan Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) yesterday accused Beijing of interference after Taiwan’s official delegation to the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony in Japan was assigned seating in the “international non-governmental organizations [NGO]” area. “Taiwan is by no means an international NGO, but a sovereign nation that is active on the international stage,” Lee said. Lee and Chen Ming-chun (陳銘俊), head of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Fukuoka, attended the ceremony in Nagasaki yesterday, which marked the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the city. That followed Lee’s attendance at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony on Wednesday
RSS