The government on Monday officially opened a new representative office in Milan, giving it a second office in Italy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
The office’s first head, former deputy representative to Italy Riccardo Lin (林讚南), presided over a plaque unveiling ceremony to mark the launch, the ministry said in a news release.
The ceremony was also attended by Italian Senate Vice President Gian Marco Centinaio and Italian Chamber of Deputies Foreign Affairs Committee Vice President Paolo Formentini, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) addressed the ceremony attendees in a prerecorded video, it said.
Taiwan’s other representative office in Italy is in Rome.
The Milan office would help Taiwan facilitate closer trade and economic links with northern Italy, the ministry said.
Taiwan already had a presence in Milan, Italy’s financial and business hub, prior to the opening of the office through the Taiwan Trade Center operated by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, which helps Taiwanese businesses enter foreign markets, while EVA Airways launched new passenger services between Taipei and Milan in October last year.
The new representative office is to offer consular and emergency services to Taiwanese living and working in eight administrative regions in northern Italy: Aosta Valley, Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige, the ministry said.
The “Ufficio di Rappresentanza di Taipei in Italia-Ufficio di Milano” or the Taipei Representative Office in Italy-Milan Office, is at Via Fabio Filzi, 25/A/P.12, 20124 in Milan.
Its phone number and e-mail address are 39-3343-838-604 and mil@mofa.gov.tw. Taiwanese who need emergency services can call the office’s 24/7 hotline at 39-3342-222-171.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
A fourth public debate was held today about restarting the recently decommissioned Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant, ahead of a referendum on the controversial issue to be held in less than two weeks. A referendum on Aug. 23 is to ask voters if they agree that “the Ma-anshan Nuclear Power Plant should continue operations upon approval by the competent authority and confirmation that there are no safety concerns.” Anyone over 18 years of age can vote in the referendum. The vote comes just three months after its final reactor shut down, officially making Taiwan nuclear-free. Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) represented