Taiwan will continue to push for "all-dimensional" diplomacy and does not want to engage China in a "zero-sum" game, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) told delegations from four of Taiwan's diplomatic allies from the Caribbean yesterday.
"Taiwan has no intention of engaging in a zero-sum game with China. We prefer to conduct positive negotiations with it on the basis of equality, mutual interest, rationality and dignity," Chen said.
As a member of the global village, Chen added, Taiwan is willing and has the capability to contribute and give back to the international community.
"While the Republic of China is an independent sovereign state, China has irrationally suppressed our diplomatic space," Chen said. "To rationally and wisely resolve the differences across the Taiwan Strait, we'll continue our efforts in trying to hold peaceful dialogue with Beijing."
Chen said that although the four Caribbean countries were a long way from each other, they had developed sound friendships because they believed in universal values such as democracy, peace, justice and public well-being.
Chen said he was glad Taiwan's democratic development over the past 50 years had received international recognition.
"Two of the important milestones in the history of Taiwan's democratic development were the peaceful transfer of power in May 2000 and the legislative elections on Dec. 1, 2001," he said. "We're more than happy to offer our unique experience and exchange views in this regard with other countries in the world."
Chen expressed his appreciation to the four countries for supporting Taiwan's bids to join international organizations over the years and called on them to continue their backing and assistance in the future.
Chen also pledged to continue providing humanitarian aid to foreign countries.
"We'll continue the foreign aid programs in a transparent and systematic manner," Chen said. "Of course, it's equally important that they receive public support."
Before meeting with Chen, the delegations visited the Government Information Office (GIO) yesterday morning.
David Chen (
Dominican Minister of Foreign Affairs Osborne Riviere told the Taipei Times that there had been speculation China wanted to establish diplomatic ties with his country but that it had not offered any substantial incentives.
"They haven't reached that stage yet," Riviere said. "Although one or two territories in the region have in fact moved away from [Taiwan], we and the other four territories have remained friends with Taiwan."
The delegations, which arrived on Monday evening, are here to attend the sixth ROC-Eastern Caribbean Foreign Ministers Conference tomorrow.
The four delegations are from the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The delegations left for Hualien after meeting with Chen. They are due back tonight.
Tomorrow morning, they will meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (
The first conference was first held in 1997. Its purpose is to expand and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in politics, trade, economy, culture and education between Taiwan and its diplomatic allies in the East Caribbean.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS