Executing concrete-smashing stunts and somersaults, Taiwan’s marines performed yesterday at a northern port where civilians were given a rare chance to board three warships before the navy embarks on a “friendship” tour in the Pacific.
Three of the nation’s 12 formal diplomatic allies are in the Pacific — Tuvalu, the Republic of Palau and the Marshall Islands.
The three warships, known as the Dunmu Goodwill Fleet, are to travel there after circling Taiwan, stopping at various ports to showcase the soldiers’ athletic talents.
Photo: CNA
Yesterday, they were docked at the coastal city of Keelung where spectators cheered on the marines and snapped selfies with uniformed students from Taiwan’s naval academy joining the “friendship” tour.
“I think it allows more exposure for Taiwan when they visit places and perform,” said Scott Lin, who drove from nearby Taipei. “It will help with the situation that Taiwan is currently facing.”
The navy’s friendship tour is an annual event, but this visit comes as tensions have soared between Taiwan and China.
“As tensions are rising in the enemy situation, we hope to use this opportunity to put into practice the theories we have learned,” said Chen Kuan-ting, a student of Taiwan’s naval academy who would be on the warship as part of his graduation requirement.
The students are to undergo training on the warships, “getting familiar with life on the ships and the rules to follow,” he said.
An unfurled sign displayed by marines showcasing their martial arts skills read: “Support national defence, protect the homeland.”
However, not everyone visiting Keelung Harbor had cross-strait tensions on their minds.
“It is very rare that kids get to see a warship,” said Jean Chen, who brought her son so that he could board the vessels.
Taiwanese can file complaints with the Tourism Administration to report travel agencies if their activities caused termination of a person’s citizenship, Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday, after a podcaster highlighted a case in which a person’s citizenship was canceled for receiving a single-use Chinese passport to enter Russia. The council is aware of incidents in which people who signed up through Chinese travel agencies for tours of Russia were told they could obtain Russian visas and fast-track border clearance, Chiu told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Taipei. However, the travel agencies actually applied
New measures aimed at making Taiwan more attractive to foreign professionals came into effect this month, the National Development Council said yesterday. Among the changes, international students at Taiwanese universities would be able to work in Taiwan without a work permit in the two years after they graduate, explainer materials provided by the council said. In addition, foreign nationals who graduated from one of the world’s top 200 universities within the past five years can also apply for a two-year open work permit. Previously, those graduates would have needed to apply for a work permit using point-based criteria or have a Taiwanese company
The Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday indicted two Taiwanese and issued a wanted notice for Pete Liu (劉作虎), founder of Shenzhen-based smartphone manufacturer OnePlus Technology Co (萬普拉斯科技), for allegedly contravening the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) by poaching 70 engineers in Taiwan. Liu allegedly traveled to Taiwan at the end of 2014 and met with a Taiwanese man surnamed Lin (林) to discuss establishing a mobile software research and development (R&D) team in Taiwan, prosecutors said. Without approval from the government, Lin, following Liu’s instructions, recruited more than 70 software
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
RSS