Luxembourg’s decision to open an official representative office in Taipei this week is an indication of the value it places on relations with Taiwan, the head of the office said yesterday.
“This is a part of the overall strategic economic positioning of Luxembourg in Asia, which includes setting up offices in Seoul, Shanghai, India, Dubai, Tokyo and Taipei,” Hugues Mignot, the executive director of the Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office, Taipei, said in a telephone interview. “Because of the improving relations at all levels with China, the world is even more attracted to Taiwan than before, as it looks at Taiwan as a hub for improving and developing additional relations with China.”
Chiu Jong-jen (邱仲仁), director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MOFA) Department of European Affairs, said that the ministry welcomed the establishment of the Luxembourg office, as it would help the Western European country gain a better understanding of Taiwan’s economic and political situation and boost bilateral exchanges.
Luxembourg, one the founders of the EU, is the 17th European entity to open an office in Taiwan.
Mignot said the opening of the office in Taipei followed a series of successful bilateral contacts between the two countries.
He said there were already very strong economic links between the two sides, but Luxembourg wanted to develop a new kind of relationship with Taiwan.
He said he would work to reinforce the substance of the existing relations in such fields as air cargo, logistics, financial and investments funds management, Web hosting, radio and satellite TV management and shipping registration.
Taiwan and Luxembourg could also cooperate in high-technology businesses, such as photovoltaic and healthcare research, he added.
Mignot, a Belgian who has served as director of the Belgium Office in Taipei over the past two decades, said that he was appointed to head the Luxembourg office because of his experience. The appointment demonstrated the diversity and openness of Luxembourg, which has three official languages and more than 300,000 migrant workers from other European countries, he said.
As the top Luxembourg representative to Taiwan, Mignot promised to work on a treaty between Taipei and Luxembourg on avoiding double taxation, and to promote academic and cultural exchanges.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS