The national flag of the Republic of China (ROC) that was hung along with flags of other countries between two buildings on a street near Piccadilly Circus in central London was removed four days later, an incident which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei has pledged to look into.
The appearance of the ROC flag delighted Taiwanese students studying in London, with photographs of the flag flying in the air uploaded to the Facebook page of the Taiwanese Student Association in the UK.
According to Taiwanese students in the UK, a total of 206 national flags were placed in alphabetical order down the street. The ROC flag was hung with flags of Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania and Thailand.
However, the ROC national flag disappeared yesterday. A student named Kenneth Wong posted a photo on Facebook lamenting the disappearance of the flag.
“The Olympics are a place to demonstrate patriotism, but if your country regrettably does not participate in the Games, don’t bother taking your national flag inside the stadium. If you feel that the national flag of South Sudan is enjoyable, leave it at home. The Taiwanese audience is most pathetic because they can’t cheer for Taiwanese athletes by flying their national flag, but only the Chinese Taipei Olympic Flag,” Wong said.
Some netizens responding to his message blamed China for the removal of the flag. “How come?” one said.
“Because of pressure from China?” another said.
Some netizens condemned China, while others said that “it was outrageous.”
Ministry spokesperson Steve Hsia (夏季昌) last night said the ministry has instructed the country’s representative in the UK to look into the matter.
The ministry’s initial understanding was that the flags were hung by the Regent Street Association, a civic group, and had nothing to do with the London Olympic Committee, he said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday said that the Chinese Communist Party was planning and implementing “major” reforms, ahead of a political conclave that is expected to put economic recovery high on the agenda. Chinese policymakers have struggled to reignite growth since late 2022, when restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted. The world’s second-largest economy is beset by a debt crisis in the property sector, persistently low consumption and high unemployment among young people. Policymakers “are planning and implementing major measures to further deepen reform in a comprehensive manner,” Xi said in a speech at the Great Hall
CIVIL DEFENSE: More reservists in alternative service would help establish a sound civil defense system for use in wartime and during natural disasters, Kuma Academy’s CEO said While a total of 120,000 reservists are expected to be called up for alternative reserve drills this year, compared with the 6,505 drilled last year, the number has been revised to 58,000 due to a postponed training date, Deputy Minster of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said. In principle, the ministry still aims to call up 120,000 reservists for alternative reserve drills next year, he said, but the actual number would not be decided later until after this year’s evaluation. The increase follows a Legislative Yuan request that the Ministry of the Interior address low recruitment rates, which it made while reviewing
DETERRENCE: Along with US$500 million in military aid and up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees, the bill would allocate US$400 million to countering PRC influence The US House of Representatives on Friday approved an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025 that includes US$500 million in military aid for Taiwan. The legislation, which authorizes funding for the US Department of State, US foreign operations and related programs for next year, passed 212-200 in the Republican-led House. The bill stipulates that the US would provide no less than US$500 million in foreign military financing for Taiwan to enhance deterrence across the Taiwan Strait, and offer Taipei up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for the same purpose. The funding would be made available under the US’ Foreign Military
WARNING: China has stepped up harassment of foreign vessels after its new regulation took effect last month, an official said, citing an incident in the Diaoyutai Islands The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday linked China’s seizure of a Taiwanese fishing vessel illegally operating in its territorial waters to Beijing’s new regulation authorizing the China Coast Guard to seize boats in waters it claims. Chinese officials boarded and then seized a Taiwanese fishing vessel operating near China’s coast close to Kinmen County late on Tuesday and took it to a Chinese port, the CGA said. The Penghu-registered squid fishing vessel Da Jin Man No. 88 (大進滿88) was boarded and seized by China Coast Guard east-northeast of Liaoluo Bay (料羅灣), 17.5 nautical miles (32.4km) from Taiwan’s restricted waters off Kinmen,