President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) sent a telegram to South Korean president-elect Lee Myung-bak yesterday, congratulating him on his victory in Wednesday's national election.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said it hoped Lee's victory would improve cooperation and exchanges with South Korea.
Deputy ministry spokeswoman Phoebe Yeh (葉非比) said Lee's achievements during his term as mayor of Seoul from 2002 to last year were clear to all and the ministry believes Lee will continue to push economic development.
"We hope the two countries will have closer exchanges and cooperation in the areas of politics, economy, society, tourism and culture," she said. "We would like the two countries to work together and advance security, prosperity and development in the ... region."
At a separate setting, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) said Lee had won because the South Koreans believed in his ability, guts and competence.
"They believe he can deliver on his promises," Hsieh said. "National leaders are like contractors. They are very good at promoting their products, but the potential customers have every reason to reject a product if they find out it is not as good as advertised."
Hsieh made the remarks as he introduced a campaign video comparing Lee's achievements as Seoul mayor and his as Kaohsiung mayor.
While both he and Lee had overseen the clean-up of a river running through their cities, Hsieh said Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate and former Taipei mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) had not been able to do the same for the Keelung and Tamsui rivers.
Hsieh dismissed a KMT campaign video that claims the South Korean economy is better than Taiwan's, saying South Korea's ruling party would not have lost the election if its economy been good.
Hsieh said he and Lee had both come from humble backgrounds, served as mayor and delivered on their promises.
In other developments, the foreign ministry said diplomatic ties with Nauru and the Solomon Islands remain stable despite the changes in their governments.
Marcus Stephen ousted Nauruan president Ludwig Scotty in a no-confidence motion on Dec. 19.
Yeh said Stephen, who had visited Taipei in March, was friendly to Taiwan and has invited Ambassador to Nauru Bruce Fuh (傅正綱) to attend his inauguration.
Kieren Keke, who has been named foreign minister, has asked his father, Nauruan Ambassador to Taiwan Ludwig Keke, to convey the message that bilateral ties will strengthen, Yeh said.
Newly elected Solomon Island Prime Minister Derek Sikua has also been supportive of Taiwan, she said.
Also see: Sikua elected PM in Solomons
Taipei and New Taipei City government officials are aiming to have the first phase of the Wanhua-Jungho-Shulin Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line completed and opened by 2027, following the arrival of the first train set yesterday. The 22km-long Light Green Line would connect four densely populated districts in Taipei and New Taipei City: Wanhua (萬華), Jhonghe (中和), Tucheng (土城) and Shulin (樹林). The first phase of the project would connect Wanhua and Jhonghe districts, with Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and Chukuang (莒光) being the terminal stations. The two municipalities jointly hosted a ceremony for the first train to be used
MILITARY AID: Taiwan has received a first batch of US long-range tactical missiles ahead of schedule, with a second shipment expected to be delivered by 2026 The US’ early delivery of long-range tactical ballistic missiles to Taiwan last month carries political and strategic significance, a military source said yesterday. According to the Ministry of National Defense’s budget report, the batch of military hardware from the US, including 11 sets of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and 64 MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile Systems, had been scheduled to be delivered to Taiwan between the end of this year and the beginning of next year. However, the first batch arrived last month, earlier than scheduled, with the second batch —18 sets of HIMARS, 20 MGM-140 missiles and 864 M30
Representative to the US Alexander Yui delivered a letter from the government to US president-elect Donald Trump during a meeting with a former Trump administration official, CNN reported yesterday. Yui on Thursday met with former US national security adviser Robert O’Brien over a private lunch in Salt Lake City, Utah, with US Representative Chris Stewart, the Web site of the US cable news channel reported, citing three sources familiar with the matter. “During that lunch the letter was passed along, and then shared with Trump, two of the sources said,” CNN said. O’Brien declined to comment on the lunch, as did the Taipei
A woman who allegedly attacked a high-school student with a utility knife, injuring his face, on a Taipei metro train late on Friday has been transferred to prosecutors, police said yesterday. The incident occurred near MRT Xinpu Station at about 10:17pm on a Bannan Line train headed toward Dingpu, New Taipei City police said. Before police arrived at the station to arrest the suspect, a woman surnamed Wang (王) who is in her early 40s, she had already been subdued by four male passengers, one of whom was an off-duty Taipei police officer, police said. The student, 17, who sustained a cut about
RSS