Following the end of the recent diplomatic fracas between the Solomon Islands and Taiwan, the Solomon Islands Embassy in Taipei was formally opened yesterday to mark what officials termed "a new chapter" in the bilateral ties established in 1983.
"Today we are gathered here to witness an occasion that marks another chapter in our relations with the government of the Republic of China," said visiting Solomon Islands Prime Minister Monasseh Sogavare in the opening speech.
Taiwan's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) echoed Sogavare's view, saying the opening of the embassy marked "a new chapter" in bilateral relations.
Chen Jung-huei (
The 17-year ties between the two countries were threatened when Solomons' foreign minister Danny Philip unexpectedly canceled his scheduled trip to Taipei and instead journeyed to Hong Kong to meet Chinese officials to discuss the possibility of China offering the war-torn country financial aid.
The aid agreement would have involved cutting links with Taiwan. But the Solomons' Cabinet decided later that ties with Taipei would remain "intact."
The Solomons' fence-mending trip to Taipei also involved talks concerning Taipei's financial aid to the country, but the Solomons' finance minister, Snyder Rini, said yesterday the amount of Taipei's aid has yet to be finalized.
Representatives from the World Bank and the IMF, according to Rini, are currently visiting the war-torn country to assess the amount of financial aid the state will need to accomplish the goals listed in a peace agreement signed between the two militias in Australia last month.
The size of Taipei's aid package would be contingent upon the final assessment made by the World Bank and the IMF, Rini said.
DETERRENCE: With 1,000 indigenous Hsiung Feng II and III missiles and 400 Harpoon missiles, the nation would boast the highest anti-ship missile density in the world With Taiwan wrapping up mass production of Hsiung Feng II and III missiles by December and an influx of Harpoon missiles from the US, Taiwan would have the highest density of anti-ship missiles in the world, a source said yesterday. Taiwan is to wrap up mass production of the indigenous anti-ship missiles by the end of year, as the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology has been meeting production targets ahead of schedule, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said. Combined with the 400 Harpoon anti-ship missiles Taiwan expects to receive from the US by 2028, the nation would have
North Korea yesterday fired about 10 ballistic missiles to the sea toward Japan, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said, days after Pyongyang warned of “terrible consequences” over ongoing South Korea-US military drills. Pyongyang recently dashed hopes of a diplomatic thaw with Seoul, Washington’s security ally, describing its latest peace efforts as a “clumsy, deceptive farce.” Seoul’s military detected “around 10 ballistic missiles launched from the Sunan area in North Korea toward the East Sea [Sea of Japan] at around 1:20pm,” JCS said in a statement, referring to South Korea’s name for the body of water. The missiles
North Korea tested nuclear-capable rocket launchers, state media reported yesterday, a day after Seoul detected the launch of about 10 ballistic missiles. The test comes after South Korean and US forces launched their springtime military drills, due to run until Thursday. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Saturday oversaw the testing of the multiple rocket launcher system (MRLS), the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The test involved 12 600mm-caliber ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers and two artillery companies, it said. Kim said the drill gave Pyongyang’s enemies, within the 420km striking range, a sense of “uneasiness” and “a deep understanding
‘UNWAVERING FRIENDSHIP’: A representative of a Japanese group that co-organized a memorial, said he hopes Japanese never forget Taiwan’s kindness President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, urging continued cooperation between Taiwan and Japan on disaster prevention and humanitarian assistance. Lai wrote on social media that Taiwan and Japan have always helped each other in the aftermath of major disasters. The magnitude 9 earthquake struck northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, triggering a massive tsunami that claimed more than 19,000 lives, according to data from Japanese authorities. Following the disaster, Taiwan donated more than US$240 million in aid, making it one of the largest contributors of financial assistance to Japan. In addition to cash donations and
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