■ Diplomacy
Lin assumes office at WTO
The new head of the Permanent Mission of the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu to the WTO was warmly greeted by mission members upon his arrival in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday. Lin Yi-fu (林義夫), an experienced official in foreign trade affairs, attended the 2003 WTO Ministerial Conference in Cancun, Mexico, in his previous capacity as minister of economic affairs. His mission in the new post is to join in the WTO's efforts to conclude the Doha round of trade talks.
■ Diplomacy
Taiwanese Americans help
Three New York Taiwanese community leaders headed for Geneva to help with Taiwan's bid to enter the World Health Organization (WHO). Lee Cheng-san (李正三), who is president of a pro-Taiwan overseas Taiwanese group, the Global Alliance for Democracy and Peace, Huang Chin-chih (黃靜枝) and Huang Man-yu (黃滿玉) said before they departed that they want to boost Taiwan's chances of entering the World Health Assembly (WHA) -- the governing body of the WHO. Lee called on China, which has forced the WHA to exclude Taiwan's bids from its agenda since 1997, to reach out to the Taiwan people by stopping its unreasonable blockage. Huang Chin-chih said it is a shame that Taiwan has been excluded from the world health body despite its generous contributions to international disaster relief operations. It denies the WHO a valuable member and denies the Taiwan people, he said. The WHA is gathering in Geneva for its annual conference from May 16-25. Taiwan sent a delegation of veteran diplomats and leading politicians to Geneva to try once again to get included on the agenda.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said yesterday that it will revoke the dependent-based residence permit of a Chinese social media influencer who reportedly “openly advocated for [China’s] unification through military force” with Taiwan. The Chinese national, identified by her surname Liu (劉), will have her residence permit revoked in accordance with Article 14 of the “Measures for the permission of family- based residence, long-term residence and settlement of people from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area,” the NIA said in a news release. The agency explained it received reports that Liu made “unifying Taiwan through military force” statements on her online
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck off Taitung County at 1:09pm today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The hypocenter was 53km northeast of Taitung County Hall at a depth of 12.5km, CWA data showed. The intensity of the quake, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, measured 4 in Taitung County and Hualien County on Taiwan's seven-tier intensity scale, the data showed. The quake had an intensity of 3 in Nantou County, Chiayi County, Yunlin County, Kaohsiung and Tainan, the data showed. There were no immediate reports of damage following the quake.
Tung Tzu-hsien (童子賢), a Taiwanese businessman and deputy convener of the nation’s National Climate Change Committee, said yesterday that “electrical power is national power” and nuclear energy is “very important to Taiwan.” Tung made the remarks, suggesting that his views do not align with the country’s current official policy of phasing out nuclear energy, at a forum organized by the Taiwan People’s Party titled “Challenges and Prospects of Taiwan’s AI Industry and Energy Policy.” “Taiwan is currently pursuing industries with high added- value and is developing vigorously, and this all requires electricity,” said the chairman
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) is to begin his one-year alternative military service tomorrow amid ongoing legal issues, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday. Wang, who last month was released on bail of NT$150,000 (US$4,561) as he faces charges of allegedly attempting to evade military service and forging documents, has been ordered to report to Taipei Railway Station at 9am tomorrow, the Alternative Military Service Training and Management Center said. The 33-year-old would join about 1,300 other conscripts in the 263rd cohort of general alternative service for training at the Chenggong Ling camp in Taichung, a center official told reporters. Wang would first
RSS