The Nauruan parliament yesterday passed a resolution rejecting Beijing’s “one China” principle and “one country, two systems” framework as it welcomed a visit by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).
Nauruan President Baron Divavesi Waqa read the resolution, stating that members of parliament rejected the “one China principle” and “one country, two systems” framework, and recognized Taiwan as a sovereign and independent nation.
Waqa is the first foreign head of state to have publicly expressed in parliament his opposition to Beijing’s “one country, two systems” framework.
Photo: CNA
Tsai flew to Nauru from Palau on Sunday to continue her eight-day visit to three of the nation’s diplomatic allies in the Pacific, including the Marshall Islands.
She received a grand welcome yesterday morning at the Nauruan government building complex, including a traditional dance by Nauruan students and a police parade.
At the welcoming ceremony, Waqa said that Taiwan and Nauru shared values of freedom and democracy, and he thanked Taiwan for its assistance and support.
The Nauruan government will do its utmost to support Taiwan’s international participation in various international conferences and work with Taiwan toward the goal of sustainable development, he said.
Waqa said he hoped the two countries would continue to deepen their bilateral cooperation and consolidate their friendship.
Tsai said that before her departure for Nauru, she saw a video of Waqa speaking in anticipation of her visit and she could feel Nauru’s affection for Taiwan.
Waqu is a “super good friend” of Taiwan, said Tsai, who was presented with a feather necklace and a set of commemorative stamps at the ceremony.
Tsai in turn conferred on Waqu the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon in recognition of his contribution to promoting friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
After the ceremony, the two heads of state held closed-door discussions on bilateral cooperation.
Tsai later delivered a speech in English to the Nauruan parliament, after which the Taiwan-friendly resolution was passed.
Reading the resolution, Waqa said that members of parliament welcomed Tsai’s visit to the country, and vowed to support and safeguard Taiwan’s democratic system of governance.
The parliament respects the will of the 23 million Taiwanese, rejects the “one China” principle and “one country, two systems” framework, opposes China’s military intimidation of Taiwan and recognizes the fact that Taiwan is a sovereign and independent nation, according to the resolution.
Nauruan lawmakers also want to strengthen substantive ties with Taiwan and support its international participation in various international organizations, including the WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the resolution states.
GREAT POWER COMPETITION: Beijing views its military cooperation with Russia as a means to push back against the joint power of the US and its allies, an expert said A recent Sino-Russian joint air patrol conducted over the waters off Alaska was designed to counter the US military in the Pacific and demonstrated improved interoperability between Beijing’s and Moscow’s forces, a national security expert said. National Defense University associate professor Chen Yu-chen (陳育正) made the comment in an article published on Wednesday on the Web site of the Journal of the Chinese Communist Studies Institute. China and Russia sent four strategic bombers to patrol the waters of the northern Pacific and Bering Strait near Alaska in late June, one month after the two nations sent a combined flotilla of four warships
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
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
EVERYONE’S ISSUE: Kim said that during a visit to Taiwan, she asked what would happen if China attacked, and was told that the global economy would shut down Taiwan is critical to the global economy, and its defense is a “here and now” issue, US Representative Young Kim said during a roundtable talk on Taiwan-US relations on Friday. Kim, who serves on the US House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee, held a roundtable talk titled “Global Ties, Local Impact: Why Taiwan Matters for California,” at Santiago Canyon College in Orange County, California. “Despite its small size and long distance from us, Taiwan’s cultural and economic importance is felt across our communities,” Kim said during her opening remarks. Stanford University researcher and lecturer Lanhee Chen (陳仁宜), lawyer Lin Ching-chi
RSS