Former vice president Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) yesterday said that he would express Taiwan’s interest in taking part in the emerging Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the China-led regional financial institution, when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) today, according to a report.
Siew, head of Taiwan’s delegation to this year’s Boao Forum for Asia in China’s Hainan Province, told reporters he is to meet Xi at 9:20am today, the Central News Agency (CNA) reported.
Siew was quoted by the CNA as saying that Taiwan should be part of the AIIB and that he would “make a case for it whenever I have the chance to speak to China’s leaders.”
Photo: CNA
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) told Siew to declare Taiwan’s interest in the AIIB during a meeting on Tuesday, according to an interview with Ma by the Want Want China Times Group (旺旺中時集團) on Thursday.
Ma listed three reasons Taiwan should join the AIIB, but said that some issues might need to be discussed first, including in what capacity Taiwan would be admitted to the body, which requires statehood as a condition of membership.
Among the reasons Ma listed were that Taiwan could serve as a peacemaker and humanitarian aid provider in the international community, that taking part in the AIIB would be helpful to Taiwan’s bids to be part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and that working with China in its initiatives, supported by many other countries, would benefit cross-strait relations.
China has put making plans for the implementation of its “One Belt, One Road” policy, which it envisions, together with the AIIB, connecting China with countries in Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe through construction of infrastructure projects, on top of the agenda of the four-day forum, which opened on Thursday.
With South Korea and Turkey announcing their bids to join the AIIB yesterday, the number of prospective members reached 37 before the Tuesday deadline set by China for countries to seek founding memberships.
China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits Deputy Chairman Zheng Lizhong (鄭立中) told a cross-strait meeting in Taipei last month that the “One Belt, One Road” policy would open up a good channel for Taiwan’s investment, but the government said last week that Taiwan has not been invited to join the AIIB.
When Premier Mao Chi-kuo (毛治國) was asked by lawmakers about the government’s willingness to apply to join the AIIB on Friday last week, he said the government would carry out an assessment when it was invited to do so.
Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) yesterday said that Taiwan would seek to join the AIIB on the condition that it receives dignified treatment.
“We are expressing our interests, but we will not accept any degrading arrangements in terms of the way we would be allowed to participate, in what capacity, in how Taiwan is treated and our designation. We’ll deal with these issues through negotiation,” Lin said.
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