Cabinet officials are to attend a series of events in New York this week showcasing the nation’s efforts to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and lobby for support for Taiwan’s participation in UN events.
The 73rd session of the UN General Assembly is to open tomorrow at UN Headquarters in New York, with the annual general debate to run from Tuesday next week through Oct. 1.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs last month said that Taiwan would maintain an approach of not actively seeking UN membership, but would instead call for meaningful participation in the organization.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
A delegation led by Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) Deputy Minister Chan Shun-kuei (詹順貴) is to attend a seminar tomorrow on global partnerships in achieving the SDGs, jointly hosted by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York, the International Research Institute for Climate and Society and the Marshall Islands government.
The delegation is to present a briefing on the nation’s accomplishments in achieving the SDGs over the past year, particularly in key areas such as the smart management of water resources, a circular economy, wildlife conservation and global partnerships.
The delegation is also to attend events for the annual Creative Climate Awards, organized by TECO and the Human Impact Institute, to show support for efforts to fight climate change.
The ministry yesterday said that it is sending Chan instead of EPA Minister Lee Ying-yuan (李應元) — who led the delegation last year — because of Lee’s schedule.
The ministry respects the EPA’s decision and would offer all necessary assistance, it said.
Meanwhile, Minister Without Portfolio Audrey Tang (唐鳳) on Thursday is to attend a forum hosted by TECO and Columbia University to discuss meeting SDGs through social innovations and digital technologies.
The forum is to be live-streamed, during which people can ask questions anonymously using the Sli.do app.
On Friday at a seminar at the Asia Society, Tang — who oversees digital affairs — is to meet with former US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs Daniel Russel to discuss digital technologies as they apply to governance.
She is also to attend two youth forums to exchanges ideas on how the government can promote social innovation, improve transparency and increase its participation in international events by meeting SDGs.
Separately, Democratic Progressive Party legislators Lin Ching-yi (林靜儀), Lee Li-feng (李麗芬) and Chen Man-li (陳曼麗), and New Power Party Legislator Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) are to visit the US Congress during the UN Assembly to lobby for support for the nation to participate in UN events.
In addition, the International Cooperation and Development Fund is to hold a forum in New York with Impact Hub to give a briefing on Taiwan’s accomplishments in helping other countries meet the SDGs.
Other events organized by Taiwanese non-governmental organizations and Taiwanese expat communities in New York to lobby for the nation’s inclusion in the UN include an exhibition on medical assistance Taiwan has offered other countries, art installations and street rallies.
Additional reporting by CNA
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
DISCONTENT: The CCP finds positive content about the lives of the Chinese living in Taiwan threatening, as such video could upset people in China, an expert said Chinese spouses of Taiwanese who make videos about their lives in Taiwan have been facing online threats from people in China, a source said yesterday. Some young Chinese spouses of Taiwanese make videos about their lives in Taiwan, often speaking favorably about their living conditions in the nation compared with those in China, the source said. However, the videos have caught the attention of Chinese officials, causing the spouses to come under attack by Beijing’s cyberarmy, they said. “People have been messing with the YouTube channels of these Chinese spouses and have been harassing their family members back in China,”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) yesterday said there are four weather systems in the western Pacific, with one likely to strengthen into a tropical storm and pose a threat to Taiwan. The nascent tropical storm would be named Usagi and would be the fourth storm in the western Pacific at the moment, along with Typhoon Yinxing and tropical storms Toraji and Manyi, the CWA said. It would be the first time that four tropical cyclones exist simultaneously in November, it added. Records from the meteorology agency showed that three tropical cyclones existed concurrently in January in 1968, 1991 and 1992.
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon