President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday awarded French Senator Alain Richard with a national medal in recognition of his contribution to the development of relations between his country and Taiwan.
Richard, who heads the French Senate’s Taiwan Friendship Group, was awarded the Order of Propitious Clouds with Special Grand Cordon, a civilian order that can be conferred on citizens or foreign nationals.
At the award ceremony in the Presidential Office in Taipei, Tsai said Richard had “pioneered” exchanges between Taiwan and France for many years, blazing a trail for the development of bilateral ties.
Photo: EPA-EFE / Presidential Office
Tsai said it was heartwarming to see that Richard, along with other members of the Taiwan Friendship Group, was visiting Taiwan for the third time, despite external pressure.
Richard’s visit to Taiwan is like the return of “family members in France,” she said.
The French Senate has continuously been a great advocate for the development of relations between Taiwan and France, and the current visit by Richard and other senators is proof of its support, Tsai said.
Two milestones in the exchanges between Taiwan and France were initiated by the French Senate, Tsai said, citing its passage of a resolution in May to support Taiwan’s participation in international organizations and its invitation in 2019 for Taiwanese legislators to visit France.
In Richard’s acceptance speech, he said he was dedicating the honor to all members of the French Senate who approved his trip to Taiwan and passed the resolution on Taiwan’s international participation.
“Like many other countries, we support Taiwan,” Richard said, adding that Taiwan has “contributed greatly” in many areas internationally, including the application of healthcare technology and preservation of harmony in the international community.
Prior to Richard’s five-day visit to Taiwan, Beijing had repeatedly voiced its objections, with Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye (盧沙野) in February writing a letter to Richard, saying the visit would “clearly violate the one-China principle and send the wrong signal to pro-independence forces in Taiwan.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has hailed the trip as “symbolizing the insistence of Taiwan and France, as democratic partners, in upholding free and democratic values.”
Additional reporting by AFP
NEW AGREEMENT: Malaysia approved imports last year after nearly two years of negotiations and inspections to meet quarantine requirements, officials said Up to 3.6 tonnes of pomeloes from Taiwan cleared Malaysian customs on Friday, in the first shipment of Taiwanese pomeloes to Malaysia. Taiwan-grown pomeloes are popular in domestic and overseas markets for their tender and juicy taste, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency said. The fruit is already exported to Japan, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines, it added. The agency began applying for access to the Malaysian market in 2023, compiling data on climate suitability, pests and diseases, and post-harvest handling, while also engaging in nearly two years of negotiations with Malaysian authorities and submitting supplementary
PEAK MONTHS: Data showed that on average 25 to 27 typhoons formed in the Pacific and South China seas annually, with about four forming per month in July and October One of three tropical depressions in the Pacific strengthened into a typhoon yesterday afternoon, while two others are expected to become typhoons by today, Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecaster Lee Ming-hsiang (李名翔) said yesterday. The outer circulation of Tropical Depression No. 20, now Typhoon Mitag, has brought light rain to Hualien, Taitung and areas in the south, Lee said, adding that as of 2pm yesterday, Mitag was moving west-northwest at 16kph, but is not expected to directly affect Taiwan. It was possible that Tropical Depression No. 21 would become a typhoon as soon as last night, he said. It was moving in a
One of two tropical depressions that formed offshore this morning could turn into a moderate typhoon by the weekend, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. Tropical Depression No. 21 formed at 8am about 1,850km off the southeast coast, CWA forecaster Lee Meng-hsuan (李孟軒) said. It is expected to move in a northwesterly direction as it continues building momentum, possibly intensifying into Typhoon Mitag this weekend, she added. The radius of the storm is expected to reach almost 200km, she said. It is expected to approach southeast of Taiwan on Monday and pass through the Bashi Channel between Tuesday and Wednesday,
Tigerair Taiwan and China Airlines (CAL) today announced that several international flights were canceled or rescheduled due to Typhoon Ragasa. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) has maintained sea and land warnings for the typhoon. Its storm circle reached the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) on Taiwan's southern tip at 11am today. Tigerair Taiwan said it canceled Monday's IT551/IT552 Taoyuan-Da Nang, IT606/IT607 Taoyuan-Busan and IT602 Taoyuan-Seoul Incheon flights. Tomorrow, cancelations include IT603 Seoul Incheon-Taoyuan, as well as flights between Taoyuan and Sapporo, Osaka, Tokyo Narita, Okinawa, Fukuoka, Saga, Tokyo Haneda, Nagoya, Asahikawa and Jeju. On Wednesday, the IT321/IT322 Kaohsiung-Macau round-trip would also be canceled. CAL announced that today's