President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) left on a 10-day state visit to Central America yesterday, along with first lady Chow Mei-ching (周美青) and a 159-person delegation, including local government heads, student representatives, college principals and a performance group.
Speaking at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport before his departure, Ma said he would continue a foreign policy that is “flexible and feasible.”
He said he would not make any public appearances during his transit stops in the US, or engage in any activity unrelated to the stopovers. He will stay in Los Angeles overnight on his way to Central America and stop in Seattle on his way back to Taipei.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that all meetings and telephone calls during the stopovers will be conducted at Ma’s hotels.
The government has billed the trip as “grassroots diplomacy” and “cultural diplomacy.” Ma will attend the inauguration of El Salvadoran president-elect Mauricio Funes on Monday, and will also visit Belize and Guatemala.
This is the first time Chow has accompanied Ma on a diplomatic mission since he became president. She will attend cultural and charity events during the trip.
Given concerns about swine flu, Presidential Office Spokesman Wang Yu-chi (王郁琦), said any delegation member developing a fever during the trip would not be allowed to board the plane.
A female radio reporter who was supposed to cover the trip was barred from the plane after failing three temperature tests. She was not quarantined, however, because she had not traveled abroad.
Earlier in the day, Ma said the cross-strait detente would not affect long-term relationships with diplomatic allies and his administration was happy to consider extending or enlarging cooperation projects with allies if necessary.
“Cross-strait detente will not affect the country’s friendship with its allies because the friendships have historical meaning and the country and its allies appreciate the same values and ideas,” he said.
“The cooperation projects will not stop or be reduced. If bilateral evaluations conclude and it is necessary to extend or expand them, we will be happy to consider it,” he said.
Ma made the remarks while meeting senior military officials from six of the country’s diplomatic allies and their families at the Presidential Office.
Ma said his administration had worked to improve cross-strait relations and that tensions across the Taiwan Strait had eased tremendously.
“We have seen a glimpse of light in peace,” he said. “We hope to extend cross-strait rapprochement to the international arena so both sides no longer engage in fierce competition to lure each other’s allies.”
This would reduce tension, lay the groundwork for peace and advance the normalization of cross-strait trade, Ma said.
After 12 years of failed attempts, the country finally participated as an observer at the World Health Assembly this year thanks to China’s goodwill and the support of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, he said.
The country came to realize that “Taiwan needs the world and the world needs Taiwan, especially in medical care,” he said.
Taiwan has many experiences and resources to share, he said, including its health insurance system, which has been called one of the best in the world.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old