The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday extended its sincere gratitude to 63 countries and four international organizations that have expressed concern and condolences to victims of the magnitude 6.0 earthquake on Tuesday last week and the aftershocks that rocked the nation.
“Following the severe earthquake that struck off the coast of Hualien on Tuesday, the international community has paid close attention to the follow-up rescue effort,” the ministry said in a statement.
It said it has received warm words from overseas, ranging from high-level government officials and foreign dignitaries to international organizations and the nation’s friends in the private sector.
“They have shown the people of Taiwan genuine friendship from the international community,” the ministry said.
As of 5pm on Saturday, 45 nations that do not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan have expressed concern, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Poland, South Korea, the UK and the US, it said.
It said 18 of Taiwan’s 20 diplomatic allies have also expressed condolences: Belize, Burkina Faso, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Kiribati, Nauru, Nicaragua, Palau, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tuvalu and the Vatican.
The four international organizations are the EU, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, the Central American Parliament and the Central American Integration System, the ministry added.
The latest official figures showed that the earthquake killed 17 people and injured more than 280.
Taiwan’s Lee Chia-hao (李佳豪) on Sunday won a silver medal at the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham, England, a career best. Lee, 25, took silver in the final of the men’s singles against world No. 1 Shi Yuqi (石宇奇) of China, who won 21-17, 21-19 in a tough match that lasted 51 minutes. After the match, the Taiwanese player, who ranks No. 22 in the world, said it felt unreal to be challenging an opponent of Shi’s caliber. “I had to be in peak form, and constantly switch my rhythm and tactics in order to score points effectively,” he said. Lee got
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