The government is considering the possibility of participating in the Philippines’ Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) project aimed at driving infrastructure development in the region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
In a written report sent to lawmakers, the ministry said it is considering working with other nations to participate in the LEC project launched by the US, Japan and the Philippines.
The project, part of the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, seeks to accelerate coordinated investment in infrastructure projects, including rail and port modernization, clean energy, semiconductors and agribusiness.
Photo: Taipei Times
The LEC is part of the bloc’s efforts to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and Taiwan, a close democratic ally of the US and Japan, has an interest in joining the effort, a diplomatic source said.
Taiwan is thinking about building demonstration farms in the LEC that use smart agricultural technology to promote closer cooperation and boost agricultural production efficiency, the ministry said.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) on the sidelines of a legislative session on Monday said that the Philippines, Taiwan’s neighbor in the first island chain, is facing similar security challenges as Taiwan, and the two economies are also complementary.
“Taiwan could play a pivotal role in the LEC, and it has started close negotiations with the US and other friendly allies” about potentially joining the project, Lin said.
A fact-finding group consisting of people from the public and private sectors have recently concluded a visit to the Philippines, he said.
He did not identify members of the group, but local media reported that a delegation led by National Development Council Minister Paul Liu (劉鏡清) concluded a three-day visit to the Philippines on Friday last week.
US-CHINA SUMMIT: MOFA welcomed US reassurance of no change in its Taiwan policy; Trump said he did not comment when Xi talked of opposing independence US President Donald Trump yesterday said he has not made a decision on whether to move forward with a major arms package for Taiwan after hearing concerns about it from Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Trump’s comments on Taiwan came as he flew back to Washington after wrapping up critical talks in which both leaders said important progress was made in stabilizing US-China relations even as deep differences persist between the world’s two biggest powers on Iran and Taiwan. “I will make a determination,” Trump said, adding: “I’ll be making decisions. But, you know, I think the last thing we need right
SECURITY: Taipei presses the US for arms supplies, saying the arms sales are not only a reflection of the US security commitment to Taiwan but also serve as a mutual deterrent against regional threats Taiwan is committed to preserving the cross-strait “status quo” and contributing to regional peace and stability, the Presidential Office said yesterday. “It is an undeniable fact that the Republic of China is a sovereign and independent democratic nation,” Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) reiterated, adding that Beijing has no right to claim sovereignty over Taiwan. The statements came after US President Donald Trump warned against Taiwanese independence. Trump wrapped up a state visit to Beijing on Friday, during which Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) had pressed him not to support Taiwan. Taiwan depends heavily on US security backing to deter China from carrying
The subsidiary of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) in Kumamoto, Japan, turned a profit in the first quarter of this year, marking the first time the first fab of the unit has become profitable since mass production started at the end of 2024. According to the contract chipmaker’s financial statement released on Friday, Japan Advanced Semiconductor Manufacturing Inc (JASM), a joint venture running the fab in Kumamoto, posted NT$951 million (US$30.19 million) in profit in the January-to-March period, compared with a loss of NT$1.39 billion in the previous quarter, and a loss of NT$3.25 billion in the first quarter of
RESOLUTE BACKING: Two Republican senators are planning to introduce legislation that would impose immediate sanctions on China if it attempts to invade Taiwan US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday reaffirmed US congressional support for Taiwan, saying the US and “all freedom-loving people” have a stake in preventing China from seizing Taiwan by force. Johnson made the remarks in an interview with Fox News Sunday on US President Donald Trump’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) last week. In an interview that aired on Friday on Fox News, just as Trump wrapped up a high-stakes visit to China, he said he has yet to green-light a new US$14 billion arms package to Taiwan and that it “depends on China.” “It’s a very good
RSS