The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said that the Africa Project has brought close to 70 percent growth in total trade volume between Taiwan and Africa, denying media reports that the project was poorly implemented.
The project was launched by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) after her first visit as president to the Kingdom of Eswatini in 2018.
On her second trip to the nation’s African diplomatic ally, Tsai told overseas Taiwanese in Eswatini on Tuesday that the project would have to be amended based on the new insights she obtained during the current visit.
Photo courtesy of the hospital via CNA
RW News reported on Wednesday that the Legislative Yuan questioned the implementation of the project and froze NT$7 million (US$218,784) of its budget in March.
Budget freezes are a normal practice of the Legislative Yuan during budget reviews, the ministry said in a press release on the same day.
After explaining in detail the implementation of the project to the legislature, budgets related to the project have been made available, the ministry said.
Under the project, the National Security Council coordinated government agencies to promote cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and African nations, it said.
Taiwan shares its experiences in fields such as economy and trade, healthcare, agriculture, culture, education, science and technology, and humanitarian aid, it said.
The project helped build closer ties between Taiwan and African nations, and it also helped Taiwanese businesses extend their reach in African markets, it said.
Concrete outcomes have been achieved through the project, including launching the Taiwan Representative Office in Somaliland and reopening the Taipei Representative Office in Ivory Coast, it said.
The governments and non-governmental organizations of Taiwan and African countries have signed 62 agreements or memorandums related to trade and economy in the past five years, the ministry said.
Taiwan’s offices in Africa and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council have held more than 1,000 business matchmaking activities, it added.
The total trade volume between Taiwan and African nations has increased from US$4.65 billion in 2018 to US$7.81 billion last year. a growth rate of nearly 70 percent, it said.
The project also helped expand Taiwan’s network through efforts such as establishing the Formosa Club in Africa and seeking support from African politicians and opinion leaders, it said.
The ministry said that to continue to deepen and expand relations with African countries, it would strive to strengthen communication with legislators to gain their support and also conduct a rolling review of its resource allocation.
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