President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday rebuffed criticism over the potential loss of diplomatic ally the Solomon Islands.
“The situation with the Solomon Islands has not been decided,” she told reporters during visits to a temple and church in the Taipei area, who asked about reports that the Solomon Islands might switch diplomatic ties to Beijing.
Asked about comments by Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential candidate, that the nation is “losing face and losing the battle” on international relations, Tsai said that foreign affairs are not about saving face, but “are full of tough challenges at the highest level.”
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Four things are important, she said.
“First, we need experienced people with an international perspective to take on these tasks,” she said.
The Republic of China needs to make more friends who share the same universal values and when the nation encounters problems, those friends should speak up for Taiwan and defend those shared values, she said.
“Second, we have the responsibility to uphold regional peace and stability,” Tsai said. “Third: For countries in need, especially our diplomatic allies, we must assist their people, helping their economic and industrial development.”
“Fourth, Taiwanese companies need the business opportunities in global markets,” she said.
“These four points have guided the government for the past few years and we are striving to keep them. By doing so, we can receive more support on the international stage and make more friends,” she said. “This is what Taiwanese expect in foreign affairs.”
Asked about Hon Hai Precision Industry Co founder Terry Gou (郭台銘) quitting the KMT, Tsai, who is seeking re-election, said: “No matter what, I will go all-out for the election campaign... We are confident about the overall situation in the run-up to the election.”
After a cultural event at the Haiguang Temple (海光宮) in Shilin District (士林), Tsai visited the Tamsui (淡水) Presbyterian Church in New Taipei City.
Tsai told church members that all Taiwanese hope that the president would defend Taiwan’s sovereignty, democracy and freedom.
“Freedom of religion and culture are the most cherished parts of Taiwan’s cultural heritage,” she said. “As president, I have the responsibility to preserve them.”
ANOTHER EMERGES: The CWA yesterday said this year’s fourth storm of the typhoon season had formed in the South China Sea, but was not expected to affect Taiwan Tropical Storm Gaemi has intensified slightly as it heads toward Taiwan, where it is expected to affect the country in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 8am yesterday, the 120km-radius storm was 800km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost tip, moving at 9kph northwest, the agency said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued tonight at the earliest, it said, adding that the storm is projected to be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday. Gaemi’s potential effect on Taiwan remains unclear, as that would depend on its direction, radius and intensity, forecasters said. Former Weather Forecast
As COVID-19 cases in Japan have been increasing for 10 consecutive weeks, people should get vaccinated before visiting the nation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said. The centers reported 773 hospitalizations and 124 deaths related to COVID-19 in Taiwan last week. CDC Epidemic Intelligence Center Director Guo Hung-wei (郭宏偉) on Tuesday said the number of weekly COVID-19 cases reported in Japan has been increasing since mid-May and surpassed 55,000 cases from July 8 to July 14. The average number of COVID-19 patients at Japan’s healthcare facilities that week was also 1.39 times that of the week before and KP.3 is the dominant
The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) working group for Taiwan-related policies is likely to be upgraded to a committee-level body, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said. As Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is increasingly likely to upgrade the CCP’s Central Leading Group for Taiwan Affairs, Taiwanese authorities should prepare by researching Xi and the CCP, the report said. At the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CCP, which ended on Thursday last week, the party set a target of 2029 for the completion of some tasks, meaning that Xi is likely preparing to
US-CHINA TRADE DISPUTE: Despite Beijing’s offer of preferential treatment, the lure of China has dimmed as Taiwanese and international investors move out Japan and the US have become the favored destinations for Taiwanese graduates as China’s attraction has waned over the years, the Ministry of Labor said. According to the ministry’s latest income and employment advisory published this month, 3,215 Taiwanese university graduates from the class of 2020 went to Japan, surpassing for the first time the 2,881 graduates who went to China. A total of 2,300 graduates from the class of 2021 went to the US, compared with the 2,262 who went to China, the document showed. The trend continued for the class of 2023, of whom 1,460 went to Japan, 1,334 went to