The government will prioritize exports of Taiwanese agricultural products to the US market in bilateral talks on the implementation of the US-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday.
Tsai made the remarks during a visit to the Dasian Temple (大賢 宮) in Nantou County’s Mingjian Township (名間) on the second day of the Lunar New Year, where she offered prayers for the new year and handed out red envelopes.
Tsai said the government would aim to “systematically improve rural infrastructure, especially water conservation and irrigation systems, so that farmers can grow better crops more easily.”
Photo: CNA
The government is also looking at ways to help small and medium-sized enterprises reduce labor costs through the use of smart technology, she said.
The most important task now for Taiwan is to expand trade in the international agricultural market, she said, adding that the government sees the trade initiative as a way for Taiwan to trade top-quality agricultural products with the US.
“This is a priority project for us. We hope to market good agricultural products to the world, at good prices,” she said.
Taiwan and the US last week wrapped up their latest round of talks in Taipei under the trade initiative, which was launched in June last year.
The Office of Trade Negotiations has said it aims to complete talks with Washington in the areas of trade facilitation, combating corruption, small and medium-sized enterprises, good regulatory practices and the domestic regulation of services.
It added that it hoped to announce the results of those talks before the APEC summit is held in the US later this year.
Separately, Vice President William Lai (賴清德), the new chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party, yesterday morning visited New Taipei City’s Guangji Temple (廣濟宮), Wugu Siandi Temple (五穀先帝廟), Jian Temple (濟安宮) and Zhennan Temple (鎮南宮) as part of his nationwide temple visits during the Lunar New Year holiday.
While giving out red envelopes at the temples, Lai said he hoped that in the coming year, companies and the general public would demonstrate wit and prudence in the face of “poor international economic conditions, geopolitical changes and the threat of authoritarianism.”
Additional reporting by CNA
INCREASED RISK: The Omicron BA.2.75 subvariant has higher immune evasive capacity, but the CECC is more concerned about newer subvariants such as XBB and BQ.1 With the peak season for infectious respiratory diseases coming to an end, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday said that details of the next phase of lifting COVID-19 masking rules — removing the mask requirement in most indoor settings — are to be announced this week. Discussions on lifting other COVID-19 restrictions are also being held, including further easing border control measures, home isolation requirements and revising the definition for reporting cases, while also downgrading COVID-19 to a lower category of notifiable communicable disease, said Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝), who heads the CECC. As the daily
‘UNACCEPTABLE’: The foreign ministry said that China’s behavior broke international law, while Johnny Chiang was worried such balloons could be used against Taiwan A suspected Chinese surveillance balloon flying over the US was yesterday condemned by officials in Taipei and sparked calls for the government to plan countermeasures. The Pentagon on Thursday said it had detected a Chinese surveillance balloon flying over the country. Beijing has said the balloon is a civilian meteorological device that drifted into US territory after being blown off course. The National Security Bureau and Ministry of National Defense should investigate whether surveillance balloons could be used against Taiwan and prepare to respond to such acts, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s postponement
PEACE AND STABILITY: The two nations called for the peaceful resolution of cross-Taiwan Strait issues through dialogue without the threat or use of force or coercion The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday thanked France and Australia for voicing their support for Taiwan, saying that peace across the Taiwan Strait is crucial to the stability and prosperity of international society. France and Australia on Monday pledged to deepen ties with Taiwan and reiterated their support for its participation in international organizations at this year’s Foreign and Defense Ministerial Consultations in Paris. The meeting between French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna, French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong (黃英賢) and Australian Minister for Defence Richard Marles was the second
DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM: Czech president-elect Petr Pavel said his nation stands firmly on the side of democracy and would boost cooperation with Taipei in all aspects Czech president-elect Petr Pavel spoke by telephone with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday, a highly unusual move given the lack of formal ties and a diplomatic coup for Taipei. Tsai spoke with Pavel for 15 minutes in a harmonious atmosphere, Presidential Office spokeswoman Lin Yu-chan (林聿禪) said, adding that Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) was also present during the conversation. Lin quoted Pavel as telling Tsai that Taiwan is a trustworthy partner, adding that the Czech Republic stands firmly on the side of democracy and supports Taiwan in maintaining a lively democratic system free from authoritarian coercion. The Czech Republic would