American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Brent Christensen yesterday announced that next year — the 40th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act — would be a “travel year,” pledging to engage in activities and campaigns to promote two-way travel between Taiwan and the US.
Christensen made the remarks at the opening of the USA Pavilion at the Taipei International Travel Fair. The pavilion at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center features seven booths representing US states, territories, cities, airlines and service providers.
“I often talk about my four priorities as AIT director, better known as my ‘four promotes’: promote US-Taiwan security cooperation; promote the US-Taiwan economic and commercial relationship; promote Taiwan’s role in the global community; and promote people-to-people ties,” said Christensen, who assumed leadership of the AIT in August.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
Christensen said that travel and tourism are topics close to his heart.
“If you think about it, increased travel and tourism work directly towards two of those objectives: bringing mutual economic benefits and strengthening people-to-people ties,” he said.
This year marks the first anniversary of Taiwan’s participation in the US’ Global Entry program, which allows travelers expedited entry into the US, as well as the sixth anniversary of Taiwan’s inclusion into the US’ visa-waiver program.
The programs are a testament to the shared commitment by Taiwan and the US to facilitate travel and people-to-people ties, he said.
Since the nation’s inclusion into the visa-waiver program, the number of Taiwanese traveling to the US has increased more than 60 percent, with the US being the top long-haul destination for outbound travelers, he said.
“We welcomed approximately 475,000 Taiwanese tourists last year, who spend over US$2.2 billion on travel tourism goods. What a win for Taiwan and the US,” he said.
As for Global Entry, Christensen said that it has also been a huge success since Taiwan’s inclusion in November last year and that is why a group of US Customs and Border Protection officers are returning to the AIT early next month to conduct more enrollment interviews.
“Beyond impressive economic indicators, travel and tourism also strengthen social and cultural ties between people. Through travel, ideas are exchanged, communities are united across oceans and preconceived notions about foreign cultures are replaced with understanding,” Christensen said.
“In this way, we can create networks that allow us to foster mutually beneficial relationships,” he said.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Many Japanese couples are coming to Taiwan to obtain donated sperm or eggs for fertility treatment due to conservatism in their home country, Taiwan’s high standards and low costs, doctors said. One in every six couples in Japan is receiving infertility treatment, Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare data show. About 70,000 children are born in Japan every year through in vitro fertilization (IVF), or about one in every 11 children born. Few people accept donated reproductive cells in Japan due to a lack of clear regulations, leaving treatment in a “gray zone,” Taichung Nuwa Fertility Center medical director Wang Huai-ling (王懷麟)
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
RSS