A British Royal Navy patrol vessel yesterday sailed through the Taiwan Strait, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the British Office Taipei said today.
The ministry said that it welcomed the transit of the HMS Spey as affirmation that the UK is taking concrete action to safeguard freedom of navigation.
It demonstrated that the UK regards the Taiwan Strait as international waters, the ministry told a news conference.
Photo: AFP
Like-minded countries such as the UK are welcome to safeguard peace and stability in the Strait, promote freedom and openness in the Indo-Pacific and maintain the rules-based international order, the ministry said.
The HMS Spey operated in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the British Office Taipei said.
Wherever the Royal Navy operates, it does so in full compliance with international law, the office said, adding that the Royal Navy’s exercise of freedom of navigation in the Taiwan Strait is not unprecedented.
In other news, the ministry criticized the inclusion of the false claim that Taiwan is part of China in a joint declaration adopted by Beijing and five of its allies at the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, which ran from Monday to Wednesday.
The ministry said in a statement that it strongly condemns the outrageous remarks Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) made at the summit claiming that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government has used public occasions such as meetings between heads of state to undermine Taiwan's sovereignty, it said.
The ministry said it protests and condemns the leaders and officials from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan for echoing Beijing's stance, which became part of the Astana Declaration signed during the summit.
Neither the Republic of China (Taiwan's formal name) nor the People's Republic of China are subordinate to one another, and the CCP has never governed Taiwan, the ministry said.
Therefore, no country should seek to deny Taiwan's existence by issuing a joint declaration, it said.
It also urged the five countries to stop backing statements made by Beijing that are not factual and are intended to destabilize peace in the region.
Additional reporting by Huang Ching-hsuan
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
ISOLATION: The outposts would serve as support and backup bases, forcing US forces to either face China head-on or reroute, increasing travel time and operational costs China’s outposts in the South China Sea could be used to delay and constrain foreign forces during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, giving Beijing a critical window to carry out amphibious landing and blockade operations, a report said. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forward operating bases on islands and reclaimed features in the South China Sea could delay foreign forces long enough for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to secure a key 48-to-72-hour window in the Taiwan Strait, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council found. The report, conducted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, examined
RSS