The Kaohsiung City Government asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for administrative assistance with Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu’s (韓國瑜) 10-day US trip, which began yesterday, but while it would give assistance, it would not help him with accommodation and transportatin, because it was not asked to do so, deputy ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said yesterday in Taipei.
The ministry encourages city-to-city diplomacy, as diplomatic work requires collaboration from local and central governments across party lines, she said.
Han left a day ahead of schedule.
Photo: CNA
While there were rumors that he changed the schedule to be able to meet officials in Washington without media attention, the Kaohsiung City Government said the earlier departure was intended to give Han more time to adjust to the time difference between Taiwan and the US.
Han is scheduled to give talks at Harvard University and Stanford University, and meet with a retired ambassador and company representatives, the city government said.
He would not meet Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, but would meet Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Nina Hachigian in a private capacity, city officials said.
Before his departure, Han met with Taipei Forum chairman Su Chi (蘇起) — who as Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) chairman in 2000 coined the term “1992 consensus” — and a group of academics at Kaohsiung City Hall.
Asked about Han’s controversial visit to China’s Hong Kong Liaison Office, Su said people “took it too seriously.”
The visit did not involve the same level of political sensitivity that a visit by a central government official would, Su said.
Asked if they discussed the “1992 consensus” during the meeting, the mayor said no.
However, he shares the same idea as his academic visitors: that Kaohsiung should keep an open mind and promote its businesses and products to other places, Han said.
Additional reporting by Wang Jung-hsiang
POLAM KOPITIAM CASE: Of the two people still in hospital, one has undergone a liver transplant and is improving, while the other is being evaluated for a liver transplant A fourth person has died from bongkrek acid poisoning linked to the Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) restaurant in Taipei’s Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said yesterday, as two other people remain seriously ill in hospital. The first death was reported on March 24. The man had been 39 years old and had eaten at the restaurant on March 22. As more cases of suspected food poisoning involving people who had eaten at the restaurant were reported by hospitals on March 26, the ministry and the Taipei Department of Health launched an investigation. The Food and
The long-awaited Taichung aquarium is expected to open next year after more than a decade of development. The building in Cingshui District (清水) is to feature a large ocean aquarium on the first floor, coral display area on the second floor, a jellyfish tank and Dajia River (大甲溪) basin display on the third, a river estuary display and restaurant on the fourth, and a cafe and garden on the fifth. As it is near Wuci Fishing Port (梧棲漁港), many are expecting the opening of the aquarium to bring more tourism to the harbor. Speaking at the city council on Monday, Taichung City Councilor
A fourth person has died in a food poisoning outbreak linked to the Xinyi (信義) branch of Malaysian restaurant chain Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in Taipei, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝) said on Monday. It was the second fatality in three days, after another was announced on Saturday. The 40-year-old woman experienced multiple organ failure in the early hours on Monday, and the family decided not to undergo emergency resuscitation, Wang said. She initially showed signs of improvement after seeking medical treatment for nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but her condition worsened due to an infection, he said. Two others who
Taiwanese should be mindful when visiting China, as Beijing in July is likely to tighten the implementation of policies on national security following the introduction of two regulations, a researcher said on Saturday. China on Friday unveiled the regulations governing the law enforcement and judicial activities of national security agencies. They would help crack down on “illegal” and “criminal” activities that Beijing considers to be endangering national security, according to reports by China’s state media. The definition of what constitutes a national security threat in China is vague, Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said. The two procedural regulations are to provide Chinese