The European Parliament on Wednesday passed two resolutions in support of Taiwan, for the first time encouraging EU members to update their policies on exchanges with the nation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement expressed its gratitude to the parliament for its acknowledgment of Taiwan’s democracy in the resolutions on European security and defense policy, as well as foreign and security policy.
The resolutions encourage EU members to “revisit their engagement policies with Taiwan” and to work with like-minded international partners “to protect democratic Taiwan from foreign threats,” the ministry said.
The two resolutions reiterate that the EU has been closely monitoring the situation in the Taiwan Strait and express concern over “China’s increasingly provocative military maneuvers aimed at Taiwan,” the ministry said.
The resolutions call on both sides to resolve their differences through peaceful means, it added.
In terms of Taiwan’s inclusion in WHO activities, the resolutions urge EU members to support its “meaningful and pragmatic participation as an observer” to jointly fight the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.
As an important nation in the Indo-Pacific region, Taiwan would continue to enhance relations with like-minded partners, including the EU, to promote regional peace, stability and prosperity, the ministry said.
The Taipei Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Wanda-Zhonghe Line is 81.7 percent complete, with public opening targeted for the end of 2027, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said today. Surrounding roads are to be open to the public by the end of next year, Hou said during an inspection of construction progress. The 9.5km line, featuring nine underground stations and one depot, is expected to connect Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station to Chukuang Station in New Taipei City’s Jhonghe District (中和). All 18 tunnels for the line are complete, while the main structures of the stations and depot are mostly finished, he
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
Minister of Economic Affairs Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) yesterday said that private-sector refiners are willing to stop buying Russian naphtha should the EU ask them to, after a group of non-governmental organizations, including the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), criticized the nation’s continued business with the country. While Taiwan joined the US and its Western allies in putting broad sanctions on Russia after it invaded Ukraine in 2022, it did not explicitly ban imports of naphtha, a major hard-currency earner for Russia. While state-owned firms stopped importing Russian oil in 2023, there is no restriction on private companies to
President William Lai (賴清德) is expected to announce a new advanced “all-domain” air defense system to better defend against China when he gives his keynote national day speech today, four sources familiar with the matter said. Taiwan is ramping up defense spending and modernizing its armed forces, but faces a China that has a far larger military and is adding its own advanced new weapons such as stealth fighter jets, aircraft carriers and a huge array of missiles. Lai is expected to announce the air defense system dubbed “Taiwan Dome” in his speech this morning, one of the sources said. The system