Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Friday told the mayor of Ukraine’s capital that their democracies stand on “the front line of resisting” large authoritarian neighbors as Wu announced a donation of US$8 million to Kyiv and Ukrainian medical institutions.
Taiwan has condemned Russia’s invasion, joined Western-led sanctions and donated US$20 million for Ukrainian refugees, mostly raised from the public.
Speaking by videoconference to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, Wu said that Taiwan and Ukraine were both democracies “on the front line of resisting the expansion of authoritarianism,” the ministry cited him as saying.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
“The Taiwanese government and people also face a high threat from the authoritarian regime across the Taiwan Strait, and therefore feel the current situation faced by Ukraine as though it is happening to ourselves,” Wu said.
Taiwan has not previously announced talks between senior Taiwanese and Ukrainian officials.
Wu said that Taiwan would donate US$3 million to the Ukrainian capital and US$5 million to six Ukrainian medical institutions.
He also posted a picture on Twitter of himself talking to Klitschko, a former champion boxer, saying that the mayor’s “fighting spirit” was admirable.
“Champ, we’ll continue to stand with you & your people. Freedom will prevail!” Wu wrote.
Klitschko expressed his appreciation for the donation announced by Wu, and called the ongoing war a fight to safeguard democratic values and freedom, the ministry said.
A government campaign from March 2 to April 1 raised US$33 million in humanitarian aid as well as a large volume of supplies to help Ukraine.
Friday’s donation came from those funds.
Taiwan first sent 27 tonnes of medical supplies at the end of February for distribution by Poland to Ukrainian refugees in that country and Ukrainian citizens who remained in their home country.
Another 650 tonnes of supplies were donated last month by people in Taiwan.
Since late February, more than 5.13 million Ukrainians have fled their country because of the Russian invasion, UN High Commissioner for Refugees data show.
Additional reporting by CNA
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 2:23pm today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was 5.4 kilometers northeast of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 34.9 km, according to the CWA. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was the highest in Hualien County, where it measured 2 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 1 in Yilan county, Taichung, Nantou County, Changhua County and Yunlin County, the CWA said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
RSS