The government has established an intelligence-sharing channel with Europol through the UK to prevent terrorism during the Summer Universiade, which is to begin in Taipei on Saturday, a government official who asked to be unnamed said on Tuesday.
As an EU institution which China is not a member of, Europol is less susceptible to Beijing’s political pressure than Interpol, the official said.
Europol has standing ties with the Australian government, which for some time was under consideration as a possible intermediary for Taiwan and Europol’s intelligence-sharing collaboration during the Games, the official said.
Because Australia is not an EU member, routing anti-terrorism intelligence through Australia was believed to be the less politically sensitive option, the official said.
However, it was decided safety should take precedence over such considerations and the UK, which on June 3 was the site of a terrorist attack at London Bridge, was selected to fill the role, they said.
Taipei first asked for Interpol’s assistance, including intelligence-sharing and advisers to facilitate the process, the official said.
It was not anticipated that China would pressure Interpol into citing Beijing’s “one China” policy and demanding Taiwan seek help through Beijing, the official said.
In response, officials from agencies and ministries in March visited Europol in The Hague, the Netherlands to negotiate with the agency, they said.
The agencies included the Executive Yuan’s Office of Homeland Security, National Police Administration, Criminal Investigation Bureau and others, they said.
An agreement was hammered out by the parties involved under which Europol would share terrorism-related sensitive information via the UK, the official said.
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
LOOKING NORTH: The base would enhance the military’s awareness of activities in the Bashi Channel, which China Coast Guard ships have been frequenting, an expert said The Philippine Navy on Thursday last week inaugurated a forward operating base in the country’s northern most province of Batanes, which at 185km from Taiwan would be strategically important in a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Northern Luzon Command Commander Lieutenant General Fernyl Buca as saying that the base in Mahatao would bolster the country’s northern defenses and response capabilities. The base is also a response to the “irregular presence this month of armed” of China Coast Guard vessels frequenting the Bashi Channel in the Luzon Strait just south of Taiwan, the paper reported, citing a
UNDER PRESSURE: The report cited numerous events that have happened this year to show increased coercion from China, such as military drills and legal threats The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aims to reinforce its “one China” principle and the idea that Taiwan belongs to the People’s Republic of China by hosting celebratory events this year for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the “retrocession” of Taiwan and the establishment of the UN, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said in its latest report to the Legislative Yuan. Taking advantage of the significant anniversaries, Chinese officials are attempting to assert China’s sovereignty over Taiwan through interviews with international news media and cross-strait exchange events, the report said. Beijing intends to reinforce its “one China” principle
RSS