Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said on Saturday that Taiwan’s 23 million people should not be excluded from important international organizations such as the UN.
Speaking at a luncheon that President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) hosted for Taiwanese expatriates in Nicaragua, Ortega reiterated his country’s friendship with Taiwan and its determination to support Taiwan’s efforts to be integrated into the international community.
Ortega’s friendly words came a day after he failed to welcome Ma at the airport or attend a state banquet, raising speculation of tensions between the two countries.
After apologizing to Ma earlier on Saturday for his absences, Ortega said that based on solid ties between the two countries, Nicaragua and Taiwan will bolster bilateral exchanges, particularly in the fields of trade, agriculture and education.
He welcomed Ma’s proposal, made earlier in the day, to have Nicaraguan students pursue advanced studies in Taiwan, and Nicaraguans to receive vocational training in Taiwan.
“This is a very good way to strengthen cultural exchanges between the two countries,” Ortega said.
He also praised Ma’s “modus vivendi” diplomatic approach and “diplomatic truce” concept in dealing with China, saying it had resulted in improved cross-strait relations and contributed to regional stability.
He also lauded the contributions that Taiwanese expatriates have made to Nicaragua. He said that ethnic Chinese immigrants in Nicaragua, whether from Taiwan or China, are all Nicaraguan citizens and have all made valuable contributions to Nicaragua’s development.
Ma and his entourage arrived in Managua on Friday for a two-day visit — the second leg of his two-country Central American tour after Panama.
Ma is scheduled to return to Taiwan today after a stopover in Hawaii.
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
DIVA-READY: The city’s deadline for the repairs is one day before pop star Jody Chiang is to perform at the Taipei Dome for the city’s Double Ten National Day celebrations The Taipei City Government has asked Farglory Group (遠雄集團) to repair serious water leaks in the Taipei Dome before Friday next week, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said yesterday, following complaints that many areas at the stadium were leaking during two baseball games over the weekend. The dome on Saturday and Sunday hosted two games in tribute to CTBC Brothers’ star Chou Szu-chi (周思齊) ahead of his retirement from the CPBL. The games each attracted about 40,000 people, filling the stadium to capacity. However, amid heavy rain, many people reported water leaking on some seats, at the entrance and exit areas, and the