Nauru looks forward to cooperating with Taiwan on economic development as it seeks to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Nauruan President Russ Kun said in a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in Taipei yesterday.
In particular, Nauru is keen to develop its transportation and shipping services, which would be “a conduit to successful trade and honest economic benefits,” Kun said.
As part of Nauru’s efforts to bounce back from the economic effects of the pandemic, it is hoping for cooperation with Taiwan to “promote prosperity through economic development,” he said shortly after Tsai welcomed him and his delegation with military honors at the Presidential Office.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kun, Taipei Times
“We therefore look forward to working together to strengthen institutions, improve connectivity, generate trade and develop cross-border solutions to shared problems,” said Kun, who is on his first visit to Taiwan since taking office on Sept. 29.
“Taiwan has in fact been Nauru’s steadfast ally and partner over the years,” he said. “Today, I am pleased to reaffirm the alliance between our two countries, one that we have nurtured over the years.”
Nauru would continue to stand in solidarity with Taiwan, a country that it believes must not be left behind and should be allowed to work “side by side with all the nations of the world,” Kun added.
Tsai said that Taiwan and Nauru have been working closely over the years in fields such as healthcare, agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry, clean energy and coast guard affairs.
In the past few years, bilateral cooperation has expanded to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as climate change, she said.
Taiwan would continue to improve bilateral exchanges with Nauru through educational and cultural cooperation, she said.
Kun, who arrived with a 20-member delegation on Monday for a six-day visit, invited Tsai to visit his country, the Presidential Office said.
The delegation includes Nauruan Minister of Justice and Border Control Pyon Deiye, Nauruan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Asterio Appi and Nauruan Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Isabella Dageago.
Nauru and Taiwan established diplomatic relations in 1980, but cut ties in 2002, when the Pacific island nation switched recognition from Taipei to Beijing.
In 2005, Taiwan and Nauru re-established diplomatic relations, prompting China to sever its formal ties with Nauru.
Taiwan has received more than US$70 million in royalties as of the end of last year from developing the F-16V jet as countries worldwide purchase or upgrade to this popular model, government and military officials said on Saturday. Taiwan funded the development of the F-16V jet and ended up the sole investor as other countries withdrew from the program. Now the F-16V is increasingly popular and countries must pay Taiwan a percentage in royalties when they purchase new F-16V aircraft or upgrade older F-16 models. The next five years are expected to be the peak for these royalties, with Taiwan potentially earning
STAY IN YOUR LANE: As the US and Israel attack Iran, the ministry has warned China not to overstep by including Taiwanese citizens in its evacuation orders The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday rebuked a statement by China’s embassy in Israel that it would evacuate Taiwanese holders of Chinese travel documents from Israel amid the latter’s escalating conflict with Iran. Tensions have risen across the Middle East in the wake of US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran beginning Saturday. China subsequently issued an evacuation notice for its citizens. In a news release, the Chinese embassy in Israel said holders of “Taiwan compatriot permits (台胞證)” issued to Taiwanese nationals by Chinese authorities for travel to China — could register for evacuation to Egypt. In Taipei, the ministry yesterday said Taiwan
‘LIKE-MINDED PARTNER’: Tako van Popta said it would be inappropriate to delay signing the deal with Taiwan because of China, adding he would promote the issue Canadian senators have stressed Taiwan’s importance for international trade and expressed enthusiasm for ensuring the Taiwan-Canada trade cooperation framework agreement is implemented this year. Representative to Canada Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) in an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) said he was increasingly uneasy about Ottawa’s delays in signing the agreement, especially as Ottawa has warmed toward Beijing. There are “no negotiations left. Not only [is it] initialed, we have three versions of the text ready: English, French and Mandarin,” Tseng said. “That tells you how close we are to the final signature.” Tseng said that he hoped Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT: Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the meeting next month, Japanese sources said The holding of a Japan-US leaders’ meeting ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to China is positive news for Taiwan, former Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association representative Hiroyasu Izumi said yesterday. After the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in Japan’s House of Representatives election, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to visit the US next month, where she is to meet with Trump ahead of the US president’s planned visit to China from March 31 to April 2 for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). Japan and the US are expected to hold in-depth discussions on Taiwan-related issues during the
RSS