Leaders around the world expressed condolences to the victims of yesterday's devastating earthquake, with many countries also offering assistance in ongoing relief efforts.
Absent from those offering assistance, however, was the UN, which could do little since it does not recognize Taiwan, a UN relief official said.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said all it could do was to pass on information about the quake. To do more would require the Chinese government to request assistance on the behalf of Taiwan, which both it and the UN consider to be a province of China.
PHOTO: CHUNG KUO-WEI, LIBERTY TIMES
A green light from the Beijing authorities would enable more countries to respond, OCHA official Rudolf Mueller said. "We are awaiting China's official position indicating it would welcome assistance."
Other countries which abide by a "one China" policy recognizing only Taiwan have not been so squeamish diplomatically .
US President Bill Clinton was the first one who extended his condolences to Taiwan and pledged to provide US aid to cope with the catastrophe.
"Our thoughts are with all of those who have suffered losses and who may still be in need of assistance," Clinton said in a statement issued from the White House.
Clinton said the US was "in touch directly with Taiwan authorities" to determine what assistance the US could offer.
Vice Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (
Japan said yesterday it was sending more than 100 rescue workers to Taiwan and would provide US$500,000 in aid.
Thirty-four rescuers from Japan's maritime safety agency and police and fire-defense agencies left Japan for Taiwan yesterday evening, according to the foreign ministry, while another 37 rescue workers were to leave late yesterday night. Another 35 were to leave for Taiwan this morning.
Singapore sent a team of 39 rescue workers yesterday, and Seoul's foreign ministry announced the dispatch of a 60-member rescue team.
Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry dispatched a 76-man team, and a 15-member team from the Turkish non-governmental search and rescue association AKUT also left for Taiwan yesterday.
Meanwhile, Japan's Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Jong Pil and Pope John-Paul II sent messages of condolence.
China also sent condolences and offered assistance, though as of press time it had not approached the UN on Taiwan's behalf, nor was there any indication that Taipei would wish it to do so.
President Jiang Zemin (
"We are willing to offer any possible assistance to alleviate quake-caused losses," Jiang said.
Jiang's pledge of assistance comes at a time of heightened tension between Beijing and Taipei following President Lee Teng-hui's(
Su Chi, chairman of the Mainland Affairs Council, said yesterday that Jiang's remarks had helped the worsening ties between Taiwan and mainland China, and he expressed hope that they would contribute to a positive development of bilateral ties.
Analysts said yesterday that offers of humanitarian aid might bring a thaw to the current cross-strait atmosphere.
"Jiang's statement was a good approach to modify China's image, especially when it comes after Lee's `two-state' model announced on July 9. Starting from the humanitarian aid basis, at least, it could give some positive upswing to cross-strait ties,'' said Lee Deng-ker (
"If Lee can react in a friendly manner to Jiang's offer it might be a good opportunity to ease the current cross-strait tensions,'' he added.
"Once the interaction between the cross-strait leaders attracted press attention, it could become a focus in the international community.''
Lin Bih-jaw (
"We need to further deliberate all the consequences, so we can't ask President Lee to issue any statement right away,'' Lin said.
"Jiang's declaration was mainly aimed at helping our damage-control. Except to express my appreciation, I am reluctant to make other comments at the moment,'' he said.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa (
Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Henry Chen (
French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder also expressed sympathy and support for Taiwan.
Chirac "addressed a message of sincere sympathy and condolences to all the victims of this catastrophe and their families," his spokeswoman Catherine Colonna said.
"France is following the situation closely and is ready to provide the Taiwanese people with the support and emergency aid they may need," she added.
In Berlin, Schroeder expressed his "deep sympathy" and his "deep compassion to the quake victims and their families," government spokesman Uwe-Karsten Heye said.
Offers of help were also received from Germany, Switzerland, Britain, Spain, Israel and Thailand.
US President Donald Trump yesterday announced sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" on US trading partners, including a 32 percent tax on goods from Taiwan that is set to take effect on Wednesday. At a Rose Garden event, Trump declared a 10 percent baseline tax on imports from all countries, with the White House saying it would take effect on Saturday. Countries with larger trade surpluses with the US would face higher duties beginning on Wednesday, including Taiwan (32 percent), China (34 percent), Japan (24 percent), South Korea (25 percent), Vietnam (46 percent) and Thailand (36 percent). Canada and Mexico, the two largest US trading
China's military today said it began joint army, navy and rocket force exercises around Taiwan to "serve as a stern warning and powerful deterrent against Taiwanese independence," calling President William Lai (賴清德) a "parasite." The exercises come after Lai called Beijing a "foreign hostile force" last month. More than 10 Chinese military ships approached close to Taiwan's 24 nautical mile (44.4km) contiguous zone this morning and Taiwan sent its own warships to respond, two senior Taiwanese officials said. Taiwan has not yet detected any live fire by the Chinese military so far, one of the officials said. The drills took place after US Secretary
CHIP EXCEPTION: An official said that an exception for Taiwanese semiconductors would have a limited effect, as most are packaged in third nations before being sold The Executive Yuan yesterday decried US President Donald Trump’s 32 percent tariff on Taiwanese goods announced hours earlier as “unfair,” saying it would lodge a representation with Washington. The Cabinet in a statement described the pledged US tariffs, expected to take effect on Wednesday next week, as “deeply unreasonable” and “highly regrettable.” Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said that the government would “lodge a solemn representation” with the US Trade Representative and continue negotiating with Washington to “ensure the interests of our nation and industries.” Trump at a news conference in Washington on Wednesday announced a 10 percent baseline tariff on most goods
THUGGISH BEHAVIOR: Encouraging people to report independence supporters is another intimidation tactic that threatens cross-strait peace, the state department said China setting up an online system for reporting “Taiwanese independence” advocates is an “irresponsible and reprehensible” act, a US government spokesperson said on Friday. “China’s call for private individuals to report on alleged ‘persecution or suppression’ by supposed ‘Taiwan independence henchmen and accomplices’ is irresponsible and reprehensible,” an unnamed US Department of State spokesperson told the Central News Agency in an e-mail. The move is part of Beijing’s “intimidation campaign” against Taiwan and its supporters, and is “threatening free speech around the world, destabilizing the Indo-Pacific region, and deliberately eroding the cross-strait status quo,” the spokesperson said. The Chinese Communist Party’s “threats