President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday said he hoped to visit Burkina Faso in May to preside over the ground-breaking ceremony of a medical center there in May.
The west African country is scheduled to start construction of a 600-bed national facility in the capital city of Ouagadougou before next year's parliamentary elections.
Chen made the remarks while receiving President Blaise Compaore at the Presidential Office yesterday morning. The meeting came after a military ceremony held in front of the Presidential Office. Compaore arrived in Taipei on Sunday for a five-day visit.
PHOTO: CHANG CHIA-MING, TAIPEI TIMES
Chen added that the 15,000 military uniforms that the administration has pledged to Burkina Faso would be delivered in March, Chen said.
As Compaore was a paratrooper, the president said that he was thinking of letting Burkina Faso inspect Taiwan's parachuting equipment.
If all goes well, both countries could consider forging a cooperative program, he added.
Chen apologized to Compaore and his wife on behalf of first lady Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), saying she was not able to attend because she had not been feeling well lately.
As Compaore won 81 percent of the votes in last year's presidential election, Chen said he hoped the ruling party would win in next year's parliamentary election.
Chen also conveyed his hope that the African Union would support Burkina Faso and help it realize its dream of becoming a non-standing member of the UN Security Council in 2008.
Meanwhile, former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), in a veiled reference to the troubles besetting Chen, said that money and power were ephemeral and that leaving a lasting legacy was more important.
"Character, upbringing, patriotism and love are important," Lee said. "Many things that happen today have a lot to do with the lack of dignity."
Money and power have little meaning because they are transitory, he said, citing as an example that when he left the presidency, the power went with it.
"Spiritual fulfillment is worth a lifetime's pursuit," he said.
Lee made the remarks while addressing an award ceremony in Taipei yesterday morning.
When asked about the controversy involving Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Ma Ying-jeou's (
Speculations have mounted that Lee was so upset with the Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU), in which he is the spiritual leader, that he refused to campaign for TSU candidates for next month's elections.
While Lee yesterday said that he did not know whether he would stump for TSU candidates, TSU Secretary-General Lin Chih-chia (林志嘉) said that Lee would see all TSU candidates tomorrow and offer encouragement.
Lin said the reason that Lee did not campaign for the party's candidate for Kaohsiung mayoral election, Lo Chih-ming (
Speculation was rife that Lee's absence was because he was unhappy with the TSU's about-face on the legislature's third attempt to recall Chen.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Many Japanese couples are coming to Taiwan to obtain donated sperm or eggs for fertility treatment due to conservatism in their home country, Taiwan’s high standards and low costs, doctors said. One in every six couples in Japan is receiving infertility treatment, Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare data show. About 70,000 children are born in Japan every year through in vitro fertilization (IVF), or about one in every 11 children born. Few people accept donated reproductive cells in Japan due to a lack of clear regulations, leaving treatment in a “gray zone,” Taichung Nuwa Fertility Center medical director Wang Huai-ling (王懷麟)
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
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