President-elect Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is to pursue a “new southward policy” to make a breakthrough in the nation’s diplomatic situation by pushing for international cooperation in humanitarian aid and disease prevention, branding Taiwan as a responsible key partner in the international community, according to a proposed foreign policy blueprint.
Tsai first presented her diplomatic policy platform at a reception with foreign ambassadors and representatives in Taiwan last year, at the time saying that maintaining peaceful international relations is a responsibility that all nations should share collectively.
Taiwan should maintain a strong and vivid international presence to keep the nation safe and promote diversity in trade, she added.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
Wu Chih-chung (吳志中), an associate professor of political science at Soochow University who headed a subgroup for foreign relations in a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) think tank, on Saturday said that the foreign policy platform Tsai proposed during campaigning ahead of January’s elections — including maintaining peace and stability in the region, improving partnerships with diplomatic allies and reinforcing the nation’s international presence with the new southward policy — should be in line with expectations that the international society has of a DPP government.
To maintain “sustainable partnerships” with diplomatic allies, Tsai has said that the DPP government would actively interact with them through mutual cooperation between government, businesses and civic groups, aimed at deepening relationships.
At the same time, the DPP government would seek to bolster economic and cultural ties with the US and Japan based on principles of mutual trust, respect and communication.
Tsai said that she would seek to protect national interests by engaging in meaningful dialogue on regional economic integration and security with the US and Japan.
As for Europe, the DPP would seek to explore cooperative relationships in the areas of innovation, high-tech, “green” energy, as well as interacting through exchanges between young people and non-governmental organizations (NGO), she said.
For the new southward policy, the government would create a special taskforce to boost economic and cultural exchanges with Southeast Asian nations and India, as well as “citizen diplomacy,” she said.
At the same time, the Executive Yuan would create offices aimed at dealing with economic and trade talks, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, the president-elect said.
In addition, the DPP government would push to create an international NGO center, making Taiwan a leader in supporting NGO operations and supporting progressive ideologies and values in the Asia-Pacific region.
A preclearance service to facilitate entry for people traveling to select airports in Japan would be available from Thursday next week to Feb. 25 at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taoyuan International Airport Corp (TIAC) said on Tuesday. The service was first made available to Taiwanese travelers throughout the winter vacation of 2024 and during the Lunar New Year holiday. In addition to flights to the Japanese cities of Hakodate, Asahikawa, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Okayama, Takamatsu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima, the service would be available to travelers to Kobe and Oita. The service can be accessed by passengers of 15 flight routes operated by
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) said a magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Taiwan yesterday was an independent event and part of a stress-adjustment process. The earthquake occurred at 4:47pm, with its epicenter at sea about 45.4km south of Yilan County Hall at a depth of 5.9km, the CWA said. The quake's intensity, which gauges the actual effects of a temblor, was highest in several townships in Yilan and neighboring Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the CWA said. Lin Po-yu (林柏佑), a division chief at the CWA's Seismological Center, told a news conference
RSS