The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reportedly considering opening a representative office in Western Australia, which would be the first in the state and fifth in Australia.
Opening an office in the state capital, Perth, makes sense given its size, as well as providing economic and political benefits, said Sung Wen-ti (宋文笛), a lecturer in the Taiwan Studies Programme at Australian National University.
As Australia’s fourth-largest city and a popular destination for Taiwanese on working holiday visas, it would be a reasonable choice for the next Taipei economic and cultural office, Sung said on Jan 31.
Photo: Reuters
Taipei has offices in Australia’s capital, Canberra, and in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, the country’s three largest cities.
Western Australia is the nation’s largest exporter of iron ore and other minerals, putting it in the spotlight as Australia and China head toward a trade impasse amid a souring political relationship, Sung said, adding that a presence in Western Australia would provide important political ties to state officials.
Dealing with Chinese officials in Australia has in the past few years become more difficult due to China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy, while Taiwan has grown in reputation, partly on Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu’s (吳釗燮) availability to Australian media, Sung said.
Meanwhile, National Sun Yat-sen University political science professor Kuo Yu-jen (郭育仁) called for a “targeted” approach to diplomacy, given the nation’s limited resources and room for international influence.
Taiwan has many foreign offices for its size, hampering effective concentration of resources where they are needed most, Kuo said on Jan. 31.
Senior officials should reallocate resources and set a strategic focus to better target efforts and materials toward strategic goals, he said.
Given that diplomatic work cannot wait for a strategic reassessment, offices should be opened in key countries or cities only as the need arises, he said.
Investment in India would be one example, given its position as a New Southbound Policy target nation, he said.
Western Japan is also an area that should have more Taiwan offices, given that it is disproportionately represented compared with other parts of the country, he said, adding that Japanese politicians’ support for Taiwan highlights the importance of representation in key cities.
Kuo suggested “not to be presumptuous” when targeting countries beyond Taiwan’s reach.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS