The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday welcomed the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement and expressed appreciation for the countries that helped broker it, saying that Taiwan would continue to work with like-minded partners to provide humanitarian aid and post-war reconstruction assistance.
Ministry spokesman Hsiao Kuang-wei (蕭光偉) said US President Donald Trump on Wednesday last week announced that Israel and Hamas had reached a first-phase ceasefire deal to end their war in Gaza.
On Monday, Hamas released the remaining 20 surviving hostages, while Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, he said.
Photo: Huang Chin-hsuan, Taipei Times
Trump and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi cochaired a peace summit on Monday, during which leaders from the US, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey signed a declaration endorsing the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Hsiao said.
“The ministry welcomes and appreciates the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and is heartened to see the safe return of Israeli hostages and displaced Gazans,” he said.
The ministry also expresses sincere admiration to the US, Egypt, Qatar and Turkey for their mediation in facilitating the agreement, he said.
Taiwan would continue to work with like-minded countries and credible international non-governmental organizations to provide humanitarian aid and rebuilding assistance to those who have been affected by the war, he added.
When asked about a Nikkei Asia report on Sunday that said Taiwan’s efforts to expand global trade partnerships have been hindered by Chinese pressure — including a trade deal with Canada reached in April — Hsiao said that Taiwan and Canada remain like-minded partners engaged in close cooperation in public health, technology, customs, trade, the economy and indigenous affairs.
Such collaboration highlights the deepening exchanges between the two sides and opens up new opportunities for future partnership, he said.
Giving an example of Taiwan’s expanding cooperation with Canada, Hsiao said the two sides in August signed a memorandum of understanding on the use of a dark vessel detection system to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Also yesterday, the ministry announced that it has allocated NT$156 million (US$5.07 million) to purchase a property to house its representative office in Boston.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston is in a rented building at 99 Summer Street.
The budget is pending approval by the Cabinet and legislature, MOFA Department of General Affairs Director-General Chen Jin-ling (陳錦玲) told reporters.
In addition to Boston, the ministry plans to purchase properties in Houston, Texas, and Denver, Colarado, to house its US representative offices, she said.
It is also seeking to purchase a property in Sydney, although a suitable site has not yet been identified, she added.
The goal is to reduce rental costs and make more efficient use of taxpayers’ money, Chen said.
MOFA operates 111 overseas offices, of which 19 are housed in government-owned properties.
In recent years, it has purchased offices in Italy, as well as in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Additional reporting by CNA
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