Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators yesterday arrived in Hungary as part of a European tour, and were welcomed by Representative to Hungary Liu Shih-chung (劉世忠) alongside members of the country’s parliament at a banquet in the evening.
Attending the banquet were Istvan Tiba, a member of the ruling Fidesz party and the Hungarian National Assembly’s Hungary-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association; Andras Aradszki of the Christian Democratic People’s Party; Fidesz members Zoltan Fenyvesi and Monika Bartos; and association secretary-general Istvan Juhasz.
Speaking in Hungarian, Liu said that yesterday was a “historic moment,” as it was the first time that the Legislative Yuan’s Taiwan-Hungary Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association has visited Hungary since it was formed a year ago.
Photo courtesy of the Taipei Representative Office, Budapest, Hungary via CNA
Liu thanked Hungarian lawmakers for their assistance in maintaining good relations with Taiwan, as well as for making the arrangements for visiting legislators to tour the country, and learn about its history and culture.
He also extended an invitation to the Hungarian lawmakers to visit Taiwan again.
Liu said that Taiwanese and Hungarians are hard-working and friendly, leading to mutual aid helping to grow their economies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The countries have rich histories and cultures, which are shared when Taiwanese and Hungarian lawmakers collaborate in support of their people, he said.
Tiba said he hopes to one day welcome his Taiwanese friends in fluent Mandarin, adding that of all the friendship associations at the Hungarian National Assembly, the one with Taiwan is the most unique given the efforts required to help Taiwan participate in international affairs.
Tiba thanked Taiwan for helping Hungary during the pandemic, as well as for its financial and material aid when Hungary was accepting Ukrainian refugees.
All of the Hungarian members attending the banquet have visited Taiwan, Tiba said, adding that he was pleased to introduce Taiwanese legislators to Hungary in return, and hoped that they leave with good memories.
Taiwan-Hungary Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association head Michelle Lin (林楚茵) said she was happy to meet her counterparts in Hungary, and thanked Tiba for arranging a tour of the Danube coast and the spectacular sights of the Hungarian National Assembly building.
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph). After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating
Japanese Councilor Hei Seki (石平) on Wednesday said that he plans to visit Taiwan, saying that would “prove that Taiwan is an independent country and does not belong to China.” Seki, a member of the Japan Innovation Party, was born in Chengdu in China’s Sichuan Province and became a naturalized Japanese in 2007. He was elected to the House of Concilors last year. His views on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) — espoused in a series of books on politics and history — prompted Beijing to sanction him, including barring Seki from traveling to China. Seki wrote on X that he intends
RSS