President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) expressed concern and sympathy for the people of Japan yesterday after the country was hit by a strong typhoon and a series of earthquakes in the past week.
Chen extended his regards on behalf of the Taiwanese government and people while meeting with Hisaoki Kamei, a member of the lower house of the Japanese Diet.
Typhoon Tokage pounded much of Japan Oct. 20, leaving at least 66 dead and 22 missing; and a magnitude 6.8 earthquake and a series of aftershocks shook Niigata Prefecture over the week-end, resulting in 25 deaths and over 2,200 injuries.
Chen took advantage of his meeting with Kamei to express his condolences to the families who have lost members to the disasters or have had to seek shelter.
Both Taiwan and Japan are located in earthquake-prone areas and face the threat of typhoons, Chen said, adding that he hopes the two countries can cooperate in research on natural disaster prevention and post-disaster reconstruction technologies.
Touching on bilateral rela-tions, Chen said he looks forward to seeing Taiwanese tourists enjoy visa-free treatment by Japan starting from next year.
In the face of China's strong attraction of foreign investment, Chen said Taiwan and Japan should sign a free-trade agreement as early as possible to prevent a regional trade imbalance.
Chen said he is convinced a Taiwan-Japan free trade agreement would benefit both sides and contribute to the free flow of capital, goods and information as well as help regional economic prosperity.
Chen also expressed his gratitude for Kamei's long-term efforts in promoting friendship and substantive relations between Tai-wan and Japan.
Kamei, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, founded a pro-Taiwan association in Shimane prefecture four years ago to promote commercial and cultural exchanges. He is heading a large delegation of association members on a goodwill visit to Taiwan.
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
There are 77 incidents of Taiwanese travelers going missing in China between January last year and last month, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) said. More than 40 remain unreachable, SEF Secretary-General Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) said on Friday. Most of the reachable people in the more than 30 other incidents were allegedly involved in fraud, while some had disappeared for personal reasons, Luo said. One of these people is Kuo Yu-hsuan (郭宇軒), a 22-year-old Taiwanese man from Kaohsiung who went missing while visiting China in August. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office last month said in a news statement that he was under investigation
PRO-CHINA SLOGANS: Two DPP members criticized police officers’ lack of action at the scene, saying that law enforcement authorities should investigate the incident Chinese tourists allegedly interrupted a protest in Taipei on Tuesday held by Hong Kongers, knocked down several flags and shouted: “Taiwan and Hong Kong belong to China.” Hong Kong democracy activists were holding a demonstration as Tuesday was China’s National Day. A video posted online by civic group Hong Kong Outlanders shows a couple, who are allegedly Chinese, during the demonstration. “Today is China’s National Day, and I won’t allow the displaying of these flags,” the male yells in the video before pushing some demonstrators and knocking down a few flagpoles. Radio Free Asia reported that some of the demonstrators
An aviation jacket patch showing a Formosan black bear punching Winnie the Pooh has become popular overseas, including at an aviation festival held by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force at the Ashiya Airbase yesterday. The patch was designed last year by Taiwanese designer Hsu Fu-yu (徐福佑), who said that it was inspired by Taiwan’s countermeasures against frequent Chinese military aircraft incursions. The badge shows a Formosan black bear holding a Republic of China flag as it punches Winnie the Pooh — a reference to Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) — who is dressed in red and is holding a honey pot with
RSS