Switzerland’s National Council, the lower house of its parliament, on Tuesday passed a motion to improve ties with Taiwan.
Previously approved by the Foreign Affairs Committee in June, the motion was passed by the council with 129 votes in favor, 43 against and five abstentions.
Taiwan “is a partner state with which we share democracy, respect for human rights and the liberal economic order,” Swiss Radio and Television (SRF) quoted National Councilor Nicolas Walder as saying.
Photo: Bloomberg
The Chinese Communist Party’s disregard for human rights is increasing, as shown by its permanent state surveillance, suppression of freedom of expression and freedom of the press, SRF quoted National Councilor Roland Fischer as saying.
Next, the council is to submit a report on how Switzerland can deepen its ties with Taiwan in business, politics, science and culture.
Representative to Switzerland David Huang (黃偉峰) said he was grateful for the councilors’ support for deeper cooperation with Taiwan.
In Taipei, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the motion.
Taiwan and Switzerland share the goal of pursuing sustainable development, and the two countries could join efforts to lay more profound foundations for the goal, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said in a statement yesterday.
The last time the Swiss parliament passed a motion friendly to Taiwan was in 2007, when it required the Swiss government to back Taiwan’s inclusion in the global health system, Ou said.
Switzerland is a like-minded and reliable partner in Europe, she said, adding that the two countries in December last year signed an agreement on the transfer of convicted and sentenced criminals.
The government plans to expand bilateral cooperation on public healthcare, airline services, financial tax, culture and education to consolidate a mutually beneficial relationship, Ou said.
The nation has three missions in Switzerland: the Taipei Cultural and Economic Delegation in Bern, its branch bureau in Geneva and the nation’s Permanent Mission of the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu to the WTO in Geneva, the ministry’s Web site says.
The European country is represented by the Trade Office of Swiss Industries in Taipei.
Additional reporting by CNA
TRAGEDY STRIKES TAIPEI: The suspect died after falling off a building after he threw smoke grenades into Taipei Main Station and went on a killing spree in Zhongshan A 27-year-old suspect allegedly threw smoke grenades in Taipei Main Station and then proceeded to Zhongshan MRT Station in a random killing spree that resulted in the death of the suspect and two other civilians, and seven injured, including one in critical condition, as of press time last night. The suspect, identified as a man surnamed Chang Wen (張文), allegedly began the attack at Taipei Main Station, the Taipei Fire Department said, adding that it received a report at 5:24pm that smoke grenades had been thrown in the station. One man in his 50s was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest
SAFETY FIRST: Double the number of police were deployed at the Taipei Marathon, while other cities released plans to bolster public event safety Authorities across Taiwan have stepped up security measures ahead of Christmas and New Year events, following a knife and smoke bomb attack in Taipei on Friday that left four people dead and 11 injured. In a bid to prevent potential copycat incidents, police deployments have been expanded for large gatherings, transport hubs, and other crowded public spaces, according to official statements from police and city authorities. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said the city has “comprehensively raised security readiness” in crowded areas, increased police deployments with armed officers, and intensified patrols during weekends and nighttime hours. For large-scale events, security checkpoints and explosives
A car bomb killed a senior Russian general in southern Moscow yesterday morning, the latest high-profile army figure to be blown up in a blast that came just hours after Russian and Ukrainian delegates held separate talks in Miami on a plan to end the war. Kyiv has not commented on the incident, but Russian investigators said they were probing whether the blast was “linked” to “Ukrainian special forces.” The attack was similar to other assassinations of generals and pro-war figures that have either been claimed, or are widely believed to have been orchestrated, by Ukraine. Russian Lieutenant General Fanil Sarvarov, 56, head
PUBLIC SAFETY: The premier said that security would be tightened in transport hubs, while President Lai commended the public for their bravery The government is to deploy more police, including rapid response units, in crowded public areas to ensure a swift response to any threats, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday after a knife attack killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei the previous day. Lai made the remarks following a briefing by the National Police Agency on the progress of the investigation, saying that the attack underscored the importance of cooperation in public security between the central and local governments. The attack unfolded in the early evening on Friday around Taipei Main Station’s M7 exit and later near the Taipei MRT’s Zhongshan
RSS