Outgoing representative to the EU Chen Chien-jen (
Minister of Foreign Affairs James Huang (黃志芳) confirmed a few days ago that Chen would retire from his post soon, but did not disclose the name of his successor.
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Michael Kau (高英茂) has been tipped as Chen's replacement, according to media reports.
Delayed retirement
Chen told the Central News Agency that he had planned to retire in 2000 and again in 2004, but opted to prioritize national interests over his personal plans after President Chen Shui-bian (
"There was a feeling of regret in my heart that I could not live a carefree life," Chen Chien-jen said.
"This feeling will be made up for now that my public service career will soon come to an end," he said.
The diplomat, a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party(KMT) who previously served as minister of foreign affairs when the party was in power, was appointed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government as the country's representative to the US in 2000.
He had intended to retire when he stepped down from that post in 2004, but later accepted the appointment of EU representative.
On the most unforgettable event of his foreign service career, Chen Chien-jen said it would be hard for him to forget the process of bilateral talks with the US government after the severance of diplomatic relations between Taiwan and the US.
However, being able to participate in the establishment of diplomatic relations with Nicaragua and Palau were pleasant experiences, he went on.
WHO participation
As for the government's bids to participate in the WHO, Chen noted that the idea was first put forward 10 years ago when he was vice minister of foreign affairs.
With Taiwan's efforts over the past 10 years and the importance of including Taiwan in the WHO having been highlighted by the outbreaks of SARS and bird flu, there should be progress this year in promoting the bid, Chen Chien-jen predicted.
Chen said he was thinking about writing his memoirs and releasing a CD that he recorded in the 1990s of him singing Mandarin, Taiwanese and English songs.
DEFENSE: The National Security Bureau promised to expand communication and intelligence cooperation with global partners and enhance its strategic analytical skills China has not only increased military exercises and “gray zone” tactics against Taiwan this year, but also continues to recruit military personnel for espionage, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said yesterday in a report to the Legislative Yuan. The bureau submitted the report ahead of NSB Director-General Tsai Ming-yen’s (蔡明彥) appearance before the Foreign and National Defense Committee today. Last year, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted “Joint Sword-2024A and B” military exercises targeting Taiwan and carried out 40 combat readiness patrols, the bureau said. In addition, Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s airspace 3,070 times last year, up about
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck eastern Taiwan's Hualien County at 8:31am today, according to the Central Weather Administration (CWA). The epicenter of the temblor was located in Hualien County, about 70.3 kilometers south southwest of Hualien County Hall, at a depth of 23.2km, according to the administration. There were no immediate reports of damage resulting from the quake. The earthquake's intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a temblor, was highest in Taitung County, where it measured 3 on Taiwan's 7-tier intensity scale. The quake also measured an intensity of 2 in Hualien and Nantou counties, the CWA said.
The Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) yesterday announced a fundraising campaign to support survivors of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, with two prayer events scheduled in Taipei and Taichung later this week. “While initial rescue operations have concluded [in Myanmar], many survivors are now facing increasingly difficult living conditions,” OCAC Minister Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) told a news conference in Taipei. The fundraising campaign, which runs through May 31, is focused on supporting the reconstruction of damaged overseas compatriot schools, assisting students from Myanmar in Taiwan, and providing essential items, such as drinking water, food and medical supplies,
New Party Deputy Secretary-General You Chih-pin (游智彬) this morning went to the National Immigration Agency (NIA) to “turn himself in” after being notified that he had failed to provide proof of having renounced his Chinese household registration. He was one of more than 10,000 naturalized Taiwanese citizens from China who were informed by the NIA that their Taiwanese citizenship might be revoked if they fail to provide the proof in three months, people familiar with the matter said. You said he has proof that he had renounced his Chinese household registration and demanded the NIA provide proof that he still had Chinese
RSS