Panamanian Ambassador Jose Antonio Dominguez yesterday dismissed rumors that diplomatic ties might be cut in November. He also said a new ambassador will soon arrive to replace him.
People First Party (PFP) Legislator Sun Ta-chien (
Kau said the ministry "has no information" about Panama's possible change of allegiance.
Sun also questioned whether Panama had rejected a US$10 billion aid package Taiwan offered to help repair the Panama Canal. The package, Sun claimed, was said to be part of Taiwan's efforts to salvage relations with Panama.
Rumors about the package "were not facts," Kau said.
Dominguez said in a phone interview that although President Chen Shui-bian (
He stressed Taiwan will help the canal expansion project in form of "cooperation" or "investment" rather than paying Panama up to US$10 billion for the work.
The ambassador also denied speculation that Taiwan and Pana-ma may cut ties two months from now. Dominguez, who is scheduled to leave Taipei next Thursday, said his successor will be arriving early next month.
"I can even tell you his name. He is Julio Mock," Dominguez said, noting that if Panama had any intention to switch recognition to Beijing, it would not have been in a hurry to send a new ambassador to Taipei.
Taiwan's 12th bid to enter the UN was rejected last Wednesday. All but five of Taiwan's diplomatic allies spoke in favor of the country's bid to join the UN. Panama was among those which failed to speak for Taiwan.
Dominguez told reporters last Thursday that his country did not speak because its new UN ambassador is still building contacts.
Meanwhile, during a meeting with foreign correspondents in Panama last Thursday, First Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Relations Samuel Lewis Navarro said his government had been considering whether to speak in favor of Taiwan. He said Panama had been assessing the advantages and disadvantages of speaking in favor of Taiwan.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), a Taiwanese businessman and deputy convener of the nation’s National Climate Change Committee, said yesterday that “electrical power is national power” and nuclear energy is “very important to Taiwan.” Tung made the remarks, suggesting that his views do not align with the country’s current official policy of phasing out nuclear energy, at a forum organized by the Taiwan People’s Party titled “Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan’s AI Industry and Energy Policy.” “Taiwan is currently pursuing industries with high added- value and is developing vigorously, and this all requires electricity,” said the chairman
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first
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