A Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) task force is beefing up its efforts to make Taiwan’s case on the May 9 fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine Coast Guard personnel, an official said yesterday.
The task force, called the Foreign Press Liaison for the Fishing Boat Incident, was established on May 19 to explain the government’s position on the shooting and provide updates to the international media.
Twenty English-language documents have been distributed so far, including Taiwan’s findings on the case that are at odds with Philippine claims, said Eric Chiang, spokesman for the five-member task force.
In addition to reporters from the international media based in Taiwan, the documents have been sent to foreign media who have contacted the nation’s overseas representative offices to ask questions about the incident.
The Philippine media has contacted the task force with questions, he said, adding that their focus has included the location of the attack and whether it occurred in Philippine waters, as Manila has claimed.
The task force helped reporters from three Philippine television networks and a newspaper arrange interviews with government agencies such as the Ministry of Justice and the Fisheries Agency, he said.
The task force will continue its efforts to explain Taiwan’s position and findings, Chiang added.
Hung Shih-cheng (洪石成), 65, was shot dead during a confrontation between his fishing boat, the Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28, and a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel in an overlapping area of the two countries’ exclusive economic zones.
The incident sparked a diplomatic tussle and prompted Taiwan to impose sanctions, including a freeze on the hiring of Filipino workers.
Investigators from the two nations wrapped up visits to each other’s country last week to collect evidence.
They are expected to complete their final reports in the near future.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) hosted a dinner in Taipei last night with key Taiwanese suppliers to celebrate the successful mass production of the company’s new Blackwell AI systems. Speaking to the media earlier yesterday, Huang thanked Nvidia’s Taiwanese partners for their contributions to the company’s ecosystem, while also sharing his plans to meet with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀). In response to rumors that Nvidia will launch a downgraded Hopper H20 chip for China in July, Huang dismissed the reports, saying, “That is not true.” He clarified that there
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Friday laid out the Cabinet’s updated policy agenda and recapped the government’s achievements ahead of the one-year anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration. Cho said the government had made progress across a range of areas, including rebuilding Hualien, cracking down on fraud, improving pedestrian safety and promoting economic growth. “I hope the public will not have the impression that the Cabinet only asked the legislature to reconsider a bunch of legal amendments,” Cho said, calling the moves “necessary” to protect constitutional governance and the public’s interest. The Cabinet would work toward achieving its “1+7” plan, he said. The
RSS