■ Politics
PFP says merger possible
The People First Party (PFP) does not exclude the possibility of merging with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) , PFP spokesman Huang Yi-chiao (黃義交) said yesterday. The PFP does not rule out any possibility, so long as any decisions are made with the consent of the PFP members and supporters, Huang said. Huang made the remarks in response to reporters' questions about how the PFP would react to KMT Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) remarks on Sunday that he has long thought that a two-party system, although not ideal, is the best system for Taiwan. Lien also said that when the terms of the KMT chairman and the PFP chairman expire will be an opportune time for the two parties to merge and become one of the two major parties alongside the Democratic Progressive Party.
■ Legislative Yuan
Recess starts Friday
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) announced yesterday that the legislature will recess from Friday until after the March 20 presidential election. Wang made the announcement after an initial agreement reached between the ruling and opposition parties' caucuses in the legislature. Based upon the agreement, an additional floor meeting will be called on Thursday to deliberate 11 priority bills, including the political donations bill, Wang said. He added that the legislature will give top priority to screening a proposal for halving the number of legislative seats and other motions concerning constitutional amendments after the election. He said the Independent Legislators Alliance caucus was reluctant to sign the agreement, so the negotiation procedure has yet to be completed.
■ Pigeon racing
At least 5,000 birds killed
At least 5,000 pigeons were killed when their cages fell of a cargo boat on the way to the start of an illegal race off the coast. About 30,000 birds were due to take part in the third of a seven-leg race with about NT$100 million of illegal bets staked on the result. Gambling is allowed only on the state-run lottery, although the authorities often turn a blind eye to pigeon racing, which is hugely popular. The accident happened as chains holding the bird cages became loose on one of the two boats taking the birds into the Bashi Channel between Taiwan and the Philippines, newspaper and television reports said. "I have taken part in pigeon races for 20 years but such an accident has never happened before," Tsai Jui-bin (蔡瑞賓), an official of a pigeon association in Chiayi County, was quoted as saying by a local newspaper. The race was cancelled.
■ Diplomacy
Two delegations arrive
A five-member delegation from El Salvador's Legislative Assembly, led by Legislator Efren Arnoldo Bernal Chevez, arrived yesterday for a five-day goodwill visit , according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs official. During their stay, the delegation will call at the Legislative Yuan, the International and Development Fund, the Central Election Commission and the Government Information Office. They will also tour several economic and cultural establishments. Meanwhile, Dr. Jorg-Dietrich Hoppe, chairman of the German Federal Doctors Association and Director of International Affairs Otmar Kloiber arrived in Taipei yesterday for a five-day visit.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
NEW WORLD: Taiwan is pursuing innovative approaches to international relations through economics, trade and values-based diplomacy, the foreign minister said Taiwan would implement a “three-chain strategy” that promotes democratic values in response to US tariffs, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said. Taiwan would aim to create a “global democratic value chain,” seek to capitalize on its position within the first island chain and promote a “non-red supply chain,” Lin was quoted as saying in the ministry’s written report to the Legislative Yuan submitted ahead of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee meeting slated for today. The Ministry would also uphold a spirit of mutual beneficial collaboration, maintaining close communication and consultations with Washington to show that Taiwan-US cooperation
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