The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) today said it is in the process of purchasing a property in Sydney to house its representative office.
The ministry is finalizing the deal to complete the transfer of ownership, Department of General Affairs Director-General Chen Jin-ling (陳錦玲) said.
She did not divulge the property's location.
Photo: AFP
"Our goal is to move into the new office in Sydney before the end of 2027," Chen told a weekly news briefing when asked about the ministry's efforts to acquire properties for its overseas offices.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Sydney — Taiwan's de facto representative office in the Australian city — is at present located in a rented office on the 19th floor of 25 Martin Place.
The ministry is also planning to purchase properties to house its representative offices in Boston, Massachusetts; Houston, Texas; and Denver, Colorado, Chen said.
It is adjusting its proposals for buying properties in the three US cities based on the Executive Yuan’s recommendations, she added.
The ministry operates 111 overseas offices, 19 of which are housed in government-owned properties.
Since 2002, it has sought to purchase properties for its overseas offices to reduce rental costs. Over the past few years, it has acquired properties in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Italy.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS