Three Caribbean nations on Friday last week again urged the UN not to exclude Taiwan from the world governing body, as Taiwan is willing and capable of contributing to the organization’s work and of benefiting many developing countries.
Speaking on the fourth day of general debate at the 74th UN General Assembly in New York City, Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Timothy Harris said that relations with Taiwan have been of immense benefit to his country, given Taiwan’s experience and expertise in areas such as technology, renewable energy and healthcare.
“I call upon the United Nations to utilize Taiwan’s experienced resources and expertise, and to enable other developing nations to benefit,” Harris said, adding that Taiwan is always prepared to assist the rest of the global community.
Photo: AP
Saint Lucian Prime Minister Allen Michael Chastanet expressed similar views, saying that the assembly should not leave any country behind and should not deprive Taiwan of the opportunity to contribute to international organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
“We believe that exclusion of active members for political purposes compromises aviation safety and security,” he said, adding that “the participation of small states and all states in various UN agencies and processes is critical to achieving our collective goals, and we remain true to the agenda’s clear call to leave no one behind.”
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves expressed his support for Taiwan, saying that international cooperation is essential to addressing the vexing challenges of modern globalization and sustainable development.
“Some of our allies, like Taiwan, have been exemplary in offering their perspectives and support to our developmental aspirations, and have proven time and again to be more than deserving of a meaningful role in the specialized agencies and organizations of the United Nations,” Gonsalves said.
Paraguay has since 2012 voiced support for Taiwan at the UN General Assembly, but not this year.
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that relations between the two nations are stable.
The Paraguayan government has already delivered a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressing its support for Taiwan to participate in UN specialized bodies, ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.
Taiwan cherishes its friendship with Paraguay, Ou said, adding that the two nations would continue to support each other.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
RSS