In response to China’s insistence on recognition of “one China” as a precondition for entry into the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday reiterated the party’s stance on defending Taiwan’s sovereignty.
“This is an issue that crops up whenever we attempt to join any international organization or institution,” Tsai said in response to reporters’ requests for comments on China’s requirements for Taiwan’s participation in the AIIB. “We will find ways to maximize our national interests while defending our position when seeking to enter international organizations.”
Former vice president Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) expressed Taiwan’s interest in joining the proposed AIIB during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) at the opening of the Boao Forum for Asia in China’s Hainan Province on Saturday.
Later, during a news conference, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) said that China would welcome Taiwan’s participation in the AIIB, but that Taiwan must recognize the “one China” principle, adding that Taiwan and Hong Kong need to have further talks with China on the details — which many have taken as a hint that Taiwan would receive the same treatment as Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, Tsai yesterday rejected the notion that a visit to the US by DPP Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳昭燮) was related to her own planned visit.
“Wu’s trip to the US was planned a long time ago. It is just a regular visit, since he was our former representative to the US,” Tsai said. “He will be exchanging views with the US on issues of mutual concern.”
As for her own trip to the US, Tsai said the party is still working out the details, including the exact date.
Separately yesterday, speaking at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport before boarding a flight for the US in the afternoon, Wu echoed Tsai in saying that his trip was a routine visit to the US, adding that he would be meeting with Taiwanese expatriate communities to garner their support for the DPP, as well as some friends in the US.
He declined to be specific about who the friends are.
“I will be meeting with friends in the US — whether in US Congress or at think tanks — to exchange ideas on current issues,” Wu said. “However, in the interest of mutual trust, I am not at liberty to discuss who I meet with and what we talk about.”
Tropical Storm Nari is not a threat to Taiwan, based on its positioning and trajectory, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Nari has strengthened from a tropical depression that was positioned south of Japan, it said. The eye of the storm is about 2,100km east of Taipei, with a north-northeast trajectory moving toward the eastern seaboard of Japan, CWA data showed. Based on its current path, the storm would not affect Taiwan, the agency said.
The Taipei Department of Health’s latest inspection of fresh fruit and vegetables sold in local markets revealed a 25 percent failure rate, with most contraventions involving excessive pesticide residues, while two durians were also found to contain heavy metal cadmium at levels exceeding safety limits. Health Food and Drug Division Director Lin Kuan-chen (林冠蓁) yesterday said the agency routinely conducts inspections of fresh produce sold at traditional markets, supermarkets, hypermarkets, retail outlets and restaurants, testing for pesticide residues and other harmful substances. In its most recent inspection, conducted in May, the department randomly collected 52 samples from various locations, with testing showing
The government should improve children’s outdoor spaces and accelerate carbon reduction programs, as the risk of heat-related injury due to high summer temperatures rises each year, Greenpeace told a news conference yesterday. Greenpeace examined summer temperatures in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Hsinchu City, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung to determine the effects of high temperatures and climate change on children’s outdoor activities, citing data garnered by China Medical University, which defines a wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) of 29°C or higher as posing the risk of heat-related injury. According to the Central Weather Administration, WBGT, commonly referred to as the heat index, estimates
Taipei and other northern cities are to host air-raid drills from 1:30pm to 2pm tomorrow as part of urban resilience drills held alongside the Han Kuang exercises, Taiwan’s largest annual military exercises. Taipei, New Taipei City, Keelung, Taoyuan, Yilan County, Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County are to hold the annual Wanan air defense exercise tomorrow, following similar drills held in central and southern Taiwan yesterday and today respectively. The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Maokong Gondola are to run as usual, although stations and passenger parking lots would have an “entry only, no exit” policy once air raid sirens sound, Taipei
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