A delegation of French Polynesian politicians is making a first visit to Taiwan in nearly 40 years to boost exchanges, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
The seven-member delegation includes Teva Rohfritsch, one of French Polynesia’s two senators in the French Senate, as well as former presidents Gaston Tong Sang and Edouard Fritch. They are visiting Taiwan until Saturday, the ministry said.
The last visit to Taiwan by a French Polynesian parliamentary delegation was in 1987.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
During the six-day trip, the delegation is to visit several government agencies, including the Ministry of Education, Council of Indigenous Peoples and Ministry of Agriculture.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) is to host the delegation at a banquet, the foreign ministry said.
The group also plans to visit the Ita Thao community at Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County to experience indigenous culture and travel to the Ocean Affairs Council in Kaohsiung to learn about the nation’s marine culture, it said.
French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of France.
Its legislature is the single-chamber French Polynesia Assembly.
France’s president is the head of state in French Polynesia, represented locally by a high commissioner appointed by Paris. The high commissioner oversees defense, foreign affairs and justice. The government is led by the president of French Polynesia, who is supported by a Cabinet known as the Council of Ministers.
Meanwhile, Tuvaluan Parliament Speaker Iakoba Italeli arrived in Taiwan yesterday for a nine-day visit to attend a regional lawmakers assembly in Taipei, the ministry said.
Italeli arrived yesterday morning at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport with a six-member delegation that included his wife and Tuvalu lawmaker Seve Paeniu. They were welcomed by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ger Baushuan (葛葆萱), the foreign ministry said.
During their stay the delegation is to meet President William Lai (賴清德) and Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), and attend a reception hosted by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), it said.
Italeli is making his second visit to Taiwan since becoming speaker in February last year, it added.
The delegation is in Taiwan mainly to attend the 53rd General Assembly of the Asian-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union (APPU).
The APPU was founded in 1965 as the Asian Parliamentarians’ Union by lawmakers from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Thailand, with the aim of promoting freedom and democracy to help secure peace and prosperity in Asia, according to its Web site.
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
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
BACK TO WINTER: A strong continental cold air mass would move south on Tuesday next week, bringing colder temperatures to northern and central Taiwan A tropical depression east of the Philippines could soon be upgraded to be the first tropical storm of this year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the next cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Monday next week. CWA forecaster Cheng Jie-ren (鄭傑仁) said the first tropical depression of this year is over waters east of the Philippines, about 1,867km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), and could strengthen into Tropical Storm Nokaen by early today. The system is moving slowly from northwest to north, and is expected to remain east of the Philippines with little chance of affecting Taiwan,
RSS