Philippine President Gloria Maca-pagal Arroyo yesterday expressed relief that President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) were out of danger after they were shot.
"I am sorry to hear about the shooting of Taiwan's leaders while campaigning in Tainan City," she said in a statement.
"I welcome the news that their injuries were not life-threatening and that they have been declared out of danger by attending medical practitioners," she added.
Arroyo said she hopes "that the political exercise in Taiwan will proceed in a safe and orderly manner."
Meanwhile, reflecting the general reaction of foreigners in Tai-wan to view the election, former American Institute in Taiwan chairman Nat Bellocchi expressed "shock" upon hearing of the attack.
"The general reaction is shock, because something like this is not supposed to happen in a place like Taiwan," Bellocchi said.
"But on the other hand, everyone has to be pretty proud of the fact that it's been taken seriously, but at the same time people are saying, `We have to go on with what we have to do, even the important elections the next day,'" Bellocchi told the Taipei Times. "That shows a degree of maturity that's very impressive."
Bellocchi said he did not think the incident will hurt Taiwan's image in the mind of the rest of the world.
It might, though, he said, have an impact on the election.
"It's likely to get a lot of sympathy, if nothing else. I think maybe people will pay more attention and say they will vote," he said.
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
PROMOTION: Travelers who want a free stopover must book their flights with designated travel agents, such as Lion Travel, Holiday Tours, Cola Tour and Life Tours Air Canada yesterday said it is offering Taiwanese travelers who are headed to North America free stopovers if they transit though airports in Japan and South Korea. The promotion was launched in response to a potential rise in demand for flights to North America in June and July next year, when the US, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to jointly host the FIFA World Cup, Air Canada said. Air Canada offers services to 13 of the 16 host cities of the tournament’s soccer games, including Toronto and Vancouver; Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston; Dallas; Houston;
The US approved the possible sale to Taiwan of fighter jet spare and repair parts for US$330 million, the Pentagon said late yesterday, marking the first such potential transaction since US President Donald Trump took office in January. "The proposed sale will improve the recipient's capability to meet current and future threats by maintaining the operational readiness of the recipient's fleet of F-16, C-130," and other aircraft, the Pentagon said in a statement. Trump previously said that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has told him he would not invade Taiwan while the Republican leader is in office. The announcement of the possible arms
Fung-wong has been downgraded to a tropical storm from a typhoon as it approaches Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The storm has weakened, but would still pose a major threat to Taiwan and its surrounding waters as it comes closer, CWA forecaster Chu Mei-lin (朱美霖) told reporters. As of 9am, the center of Tropical Storm Fung-wong was 360km southwest of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point, and moving north-northeast to northeast at 12kph. It was carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 108kph and gusts of 137kph, compared with 119kph and 155kph respectively recorded at about 7am
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