The Legislative Yuan's Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Committee yesterday completed its review of next year's budget for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, despite an uproar over subsidies to a US university.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) tried to block a proposal by nine committee members to continue a subsidy to St. John's University in New York state, but failed.
According to ministry estimates, St. Johns has received more than US$300,000 a year in subsidies from Taiwan for many years, more than any other US university.
After ministry officials raised questions about the school's academic reputation and its habit of providing the ministry with receipts for the subsidies but no details on how the money was spent, it was decided during Tien Hung-mao's (田弘茂) tenure as foreign minister that the cooperation agreement with St. Johns would be terminated when the contract expired this year.
Hsiao claimed that the school tried to bribe Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Kau (
Kau said that Kao only delivered a letter from the school.
DPP Legislator Lo Wen-chia (羅文嘉) said that by law, the legislature cannot suggest the Cabinet increase a ministry budget, and since the foreign ministry had not included a St. Johns subsidy in its budget, the committee mem-bers erred in proposing the continuation of the subsidy.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
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