Amid speculation that Malawi might severe its 41-year-long diplomatic relations with Taiwan in favor of China, Minister of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) James Huang (
Speaking on condition of anonymity, ministry sources said the effort by Huang indicated that Taipei might be able to salvage ties with its longtime ally.
Huang had planned to visit Malawi last month when the ministry learned that China had offered it a US$6 billion financial package in exchange for diplomatic recognition.
In response, a delegation of Malawi officials was dispatched to China later last month.
MOFA instead sent Vice Minister Yang Tzu-pao (楊子葆) and African Affairs Department Director Chang Yun-ping (張雲屏) to deal with the rumors that Malawi would end diplomatic relations.
Late last month, several local newspapers in Malawi ran reports that Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika had sanctioned severing diplomatic ties with Taiwan while a delegation to Beijing led by Presidential Affairs Minister Davis Katsonga was set to sign a memorandum of understanding to pave the way for establishing diplomatic ties with China.
Mutharika, on the other hand, assured Taiwan during recent talks that his country's diplomatic relations with Taiwan remained stable, the ministry said.
Huang made a public call at the ministry's year-end press conference on Friday, saying that Malawi should "choose wisely" between Taiwan and Beijing.
He said Beijing was casting its covetous eyes on Malawi's natural resources, while relations with Taiwan offered trust, dependability and unwavering friendship that take the improvement of the living standards of Malawian into account.
Taiwan is stepping up plans to create self-sufficient supply chains for combat drones and increase foreign orders from the US to counter China’s numerical superiority, a defense official said on Saturday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, the official said the nation’s armed forces are in agreement with US Admiral Samuel Paparo’s assessment that Taiwan’s military must be prepared to turn the nation’s waters into a “hellscape” for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Paparo, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, reiterated the concept during a Congressional hearing in Washington on Wednesday. He first coined the term in a security conference last
Prosecutors today declined to say who was questioned regarding alleged forgery on petitions to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators, after Chinese-language media earlier reported that members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Youth League were brought in for questioning. The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau confirmed that two people had been questioned, but did not disclose any further information about the ongoing investigation. KMT Youth League members Lee Hsiao-liang (李孝亮) and Liu Szu-yin (劉思吟) — who are leading the effort to recall DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) — both posted on Facebook saying: “I
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) 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
RSS