New Ambassador to Haiti Hu Cheng-hao (胡正浩) assumed his post in the embattled Caribbean ally earlier this month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced yesterday.
Hu, who previously held the same post from May 2017 to August 2019, arrived in Haiti on Sept. 12, Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Deputy Director-General Francisco Chang (張自信) said during a ministry briefing.
Upon arriving, Hu presented a copy of his letter of credentials to then-acting Haitian minister of foreign affairs Carlos Hercule on Sept. 13 and then presented the original letter to Haitian Transitional Presidential Council Coordinator Edgard Leblanc Fils on Thursday last week, Chang said.
Photo: Taipei Times
Only after completing these procedures is a new ambassador recognized as the representative of his or her country, according to diplomatic protocol.
While meeting Fils, Hu relayed President William Lai’s (賴清德) greetings to the head of the Transitional Presidential Council in Haiti, Chang said.
Hu also reiterated Taiwan’s affirmation of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Fils thanked the envoy for the “fruitful results of bilateral cooperation programs between both countries” and said they have helped the Transitional Presidential Council continue to push for Haiti’s democratization, Chang said.
Hu’s predecessor, Ku Wen-jiann (古文劍), who had served as ambassador to Haiti since August 2020, has returned to Taiwan after being posted overseas for seven years, Chang said.
Haiti has been rocked by gang violence and social unrest since former Haitian president Jovenel Moise was assassinated at his private home in July 2021.
However, conditions worsened dramatically at the end of February, when armed groups launched coordinated attacks in the capital, Port-au-Prince, saying they wanted to overthrow then-prime minister Ariel Henry.
Chang yesterday said that the political and social turmoil in Haiti had stabilized since the arrival of Kenyan police forces in June.
Since 2022, Taiwan has donated 808 bulletproof vests to the Haitian national police to help them combat rampant gang violence, he said.
Taiwan established diplomatic relations with Haiti in 1956.
Haiti is one of 12 countries that still have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
RSS