The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday made an appeal to the US government not to leave Taiwan's interests behind during Chinese President Hu Jintao's (
MOFA Spokesman Michel Lu (
Lu said the government has instructed the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the US to investigate whether the meeting would damage the country's interests.
"We hope the US government will not ignore the voice of the Taiwanese people, and provide help in maintaining peace and stability across the Strait," Lu said.
Lu said the government has already expressed its concern to the US government, and will take note of developments during Hu's visit in the US.
CONCESSIONS?
Hu, who traveled to the US capital on a "coming out" trip in May 2002 as vice president, will visit Washington as concern mounts over China's intentions in the region.
A high-ranking official from the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), speaking on condition of anonymity, said because Hu had only recently consolidated his power, it was likely that he would seek high-profile concessions from the US on a number of issues, possibly including Taiwan.
However, the MAC official said, it did not seem likely that Bush would publicly criticize Taiwan at this time, given the recent detoriation of US-China ties.
In related news, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (
"China has imitated Taiwan's efforts to improve its image in the US by hiring public relations firms to promote its domestic situation vis-a-vis its human rights situation, economic equality and religious freedom in the US," Chen said.
Chen made his remarks when he was interviewed by state-owned Radio Taiwan International.
The government signed a three-year contract with Barbour Griffith & Rogers on March 4 to help promote US-Taiwan relations.
NO PHONE
"As Taiwan and the US have no diplomatic relations, the government has to make our requests to the US via public relations firms. Unlike Taiwan, the Chinese minister of foreign affairs can get in touch with his US counterpart by phone," Chen said.
While it is not necessary for China to communicate with the US through private firms, the reason why China resorted to hiring the PR firms is to cover its weaknesses, Chen said.
STAY AWAY: An official said people should avoid disturbing snakes, as most do not actively attack humans, but would react defensively if threatened Taitung County authorities yesterday urged the public to stay vigilant and avoid disturbing snakes in the wild, following five reported snakebite cases in the county so far this year. Taitung County Fire Department secretary Lin Chien-cheng (林建誠) said two of the cases were in Donghe Township (東河) and involved the Taiwan habus, one person was bit by a Chinese pit viper near the South Link Railway and the remaining two were caused by unidentified snakes. He advised residents near fields to be cautious of snakes hiding in shady indoor areas, especially when entering or leaving their homes at night. In case of a
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Credit departments of farmers’ and fishers’ associations blocked a total of more than NT$180 million (US$6.01 million) from being lost to scams last year, National Police Agency (NPA) data showed. The Agricultural Finance Agency (AFA) said last week that staff of farmers’ and fishers’ associations’ credit departments are required to implement fraud prevention measures when they serve clients at the counter. They would ask clients about personal financial management activities whenever they suspect there might be a fraud situation, and would immediately report the incident to local authorities, which would send police officers to the site to help, it said. NPA data showed
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Hualien County in eastern Taiwan at 7pm yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The epicenter of the temblor was at sea, about 69.9km south of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 30.9km, it said. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake’s intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County’s Changbin Township (長濱), where it measured 5 on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 4 in Hualien, Nantou, Chiayi, Yunlin, Changhua and Miaoli counties, as well as
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