The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday welcomed a White House statement calling on Beijing to find ways of reaching out to President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and his Cabinet, as Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) prepared for talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤).
Remarking that Washington has been following developments in the region very closely, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan said in a press conference on Wednesday that the US believes diplomacy is the only way to resolve the cross-strait dilemma.
Commenting on Lien's trip to China, McClellan said the White House hopes that "this is the start of Beijing finding new ways to reach out to President Chen and his Cabinet, because a long-term solution can only be found if Beijing negotiates with the duly elected leadership in Taiwan."
MAC Vice Chairman You Ying-lung (
You said China should engage in dialogue with the Taiwanese government as soon as possible so that cross-strait relations can be normalized.
"Governments on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have to be engaged in dialogues and negotiations in order to efficiently resolve issues that only governments have the power to address," You said.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Michel Lu (
"The US encourages both sides to start official talks and hopes that dialogues can bring peace and stability to the Taiwan Strait," Lu said.
The ministry hopes to see positive developments in cross-strait relations, said Lu, adding that political leaders should hold on to the principle of "maintaining national interests" when visiting China.
Taiwan's political party leaders should not break the law while meeting with Chinese leaders, Lu said.
Meanwhile, David Lee (
The WHA, the World Health Organization's (WHO) highest governing body, will take place from May 16 to 25 in Geneva. Taiwan will launch its ninth bid to enter the health body in the assembly. The US, WHO secretariat, Taipei and Beijing are negotiating [about Taiwan's participation in the WHO]. But Taipei and Beijing do not talk to each other directly, the diplomat said.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
NEW WORLD: Taiwan is pursuing innovative approaches to international relations through economics, trade and values-based diplomacy, the foreign minister said Taiwan would implement a “three-chain strategy” that promotes democratic values in response to US tariffs, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said. Taiwan would aim to create a “global democratic value chain,” seek to capitalize on its position within the first island chain and promote a “non-red supply chain,” Lin was quoted as saying in the ministry’s written report to the Legislative Yuan submitted ahead of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee meeting slated for today. The Ministry would also uphold a spirit of mutual beneficial collaboration, maintaining close communication and consultations with Washington to show that Taiwan-US cooperation
RSS