The US Department of State on Thursday said it appreciates Taiwan’s commitment to providing humanitarian assistance as part of the US-led coalition to counter the Islamic State (IS) group.
“We certainly appreciate those contributions as we appreciate the contributions of all coalition members,” US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said at a news briefing when asked to comment on Taiwan’s attendance at the coalition meeting on Wednesday, and its pledge to continue providing humanitarian assistance in Iraq and Syria.
“I think an important thing to emphasize is that big or small, whatever role any coalition member can play and partner can play, we appreciate it,” Toner said. “I think what the message yesterday was we all need to see how we can do more to finish this.”
Representative to the US Stanley Kao (高碩泰) and officials representing 67 other coalition members attended the meeting in Washington which was presided over by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the first such gathering since US President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20.
Kao was also invited to pose for a photograph with Tillerson and other officials. It is rare for a Taiwanese official to attend a public event in a US government building due to the two nations’ lack of official diplomatic ties.
At the news conference, Toner said Tillerson also noted the more than US$2 billion identified by coalition partners for humanitarian, stabilization and demining needs, and “called on all partners to rapidly fulfill their commitments.”
Members have pledged more than US$2 billion in assistance for Iraq and Syria this year, although the amount of Taiwan’s contribution is unknown.
The coalition, which was established in 2014 under the administration of then-US president Barack Obama, has 68 members. In addition to Taiwan, other partners from the Asia-Pacific region include Afghanistan, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and South Korea.
Taiwan’s participation has consisted of humanitarian assistance, including the donation of 350 temporary housing units and US$100,000 in 2014 for refugees in Iraq displaced by the Islamic State.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that Taiwan donated funds in January to help set up mobile hospitals in Iraq and would continue offering humanitarian assistance in the region, as well as help clear mines once fighting ceases.
SAFETY IN REGULATION: The proposal states that Chiayi should assess whether it is viable to establish such a district and draft rules to protect clients and sex workers The Chiayi City Council passed a motion yesterday to assess the viability of establishing a regulated red-light district. The council yesterday held its last session of the year, at which its fiscal 2024 budget was approved, along with 61 other proposals. The proposal to assess the viability of establishing a red-light district was put forward by independent Chiayi City Councilor Molly Yen (顏色不分藍綠支持性專區顏色田慎節). The proposal cited 2011 amendments to the Social Order Maintenance Act (社會秩序維護法), which stipulate that city and county governments can pass autonomous regulations on the sex trade to manage the industry and guarantee industry workers’ rights. A ban on the
Measures have been taken to minimize damage from Chinese espionage, the Ministry of National Defense said on Monday, in response to an alleged plan to deliver a Chinook helicopter to the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. The Chinese-language CTWANT magazine earlier in the day reported that a lieutenant colonel surnamed Hsieh (謝) was approached by Chinese officers with an offer to evacuate his family to Thailand in the event of a cross-strait conflict. In exchange, Hsieh was asked to fly a CH-47F Chinook helicopter to a Chinese aircraft carrier in the Taiwan Strait, the magazine said. Hsieh initially declined, but accepted after he was
STABILITY AND CHANGE: Flagging in recent polls, Ko this week pledged to maintain President Tsai’s foreign policy, with an emphasis on improving China relations Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday reiterated that he is “deep-green at heart” in response to accusations that he is pivoting his campaign to align closer with the ideology of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the face of flagging polls. Ko made the remark at an agricultural policy conference in Taipei, repeating his comments from an interview with CTS News a day earlier. Ko told the CTS host that he would continue to pursue President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) national defense and foreign policy in general, but with an emphasis on establishing a rapport with
CHINA illness surge: Of 88 travelers from China, Hong Kong and Macau with respiratory symptoms who were encouraged to get tested upon arrival, 70.6% had the flu Two hundred and sixty people with COVID-19 were hospitalized and 31 deaths related to the virus were reported last week — the highest numbers in four weeks, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday, adding that cases are expected to peak next month. CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) said that of the 260 people hospitalized last week with moderate to severe COVID-19, 98 percent had not received the Omicron XBB.1.5-adapted COVID-19 vaccine. Among the people hospitalized this year, 78 percent were aged 65 or older, while most of the those who were hospitalized or died have or had
RSS