Public health experts on Wednesday joined their counterparts in the Czech Republic in a virtual conference to discuss COVID-19 measures, the latest example of deepening cooperation between the two nations.
Separated into five segments, the Webinar featured four discussions led by a Taiwanese and a Czech speaker, and concluded with a panel discussion moderated by former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁).
National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) president Liang Kung-yee (梁賡義) and Czech Senator Jiri Drahos led the opening remarks, during which they touched on pandemic policy, vaccine development and clinical treatment, among other topics.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Drahos, a former president of the Czech Academy of Sciences, praised Taiwan’s success at containing the pandemic, saying that there is a lot to learn from Taiwan with regards to policy and medicine, a news release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
He also thanked the government and the public for donating masks, respirators and other equipment to help the Czech Republic fight the pandemic, the ministry said.
Opening remarks were followed by discussions on epidemiology, vaccine development and lab diagnosis, and medical therapy, with the talks led by Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Philip Lo (羅一鈞), University of Ostrava dean Rastislav Mad’ar, NHRI Vaccine Research and Development Center chief executive officer Liu Shih-jen (劉士任), Masaryk University professor Omar Sery, National Taiwan University Hospital vice director of internal medicine Wang Jen-tay (王振泰) and University Hospital Ostrava Anesthesiology Clinic head Pavel Sevcik.
Panelists agreed that observations from the Czech Republic as Europe continues to battle COVID-19 can aid Taiwanese prevention efforts, as collaboration in the field further demonstrates the solidarity and friendship between the two nations, the ministry said.
Chen shared some of the lessons Taiwan learned from staving off SARS, while emphasizing that international cooperation is the key to successfully containing a pandemic, it said.
On April 1 last year, Taiwan and the Czech Republic issued a joint statement listing eight areas of cooperation on COVID-19, including research, provision of supplies and information sharing.
The statement was followed by a historic visit in August and September last year by a delegation led by Czech Senate President Milos Vystrcil.
Drahos had planned to visit Taiwan in October last year, but postponed his trip due to challenges presented by the pandemic.
Asked about a potential visit by Drahos, the ministry said that the government welcomes any Czech officials who want to visit Taiwan, but it has no further information to provide at the moment.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS