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.
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
The Chinese military has boosted its capability to fight at a high tempo using the element of surprise and new technology, the Ministry of National Defense said in the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) published on Monday last week. The ministry highlighted Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) developments showing significant changes in Beijing’s strategy for war on Taiwan. The PLA has made significant headway in building capabilities for all-weather, multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, operational control and a joint air-sea blockade against Taiwan’s lines of communication, it said. The PLA has also improved its capabilities in direct amphibious assault operations aimed at seizing strategically important beaches,
‘MALIGN PURPOSE’: Governments around the world conduct espionage operations, but China’s is different, as its ultimate goal is annexation, a think tank head said Taiwan is facing a growing existential threat from its own people spying for China, experts said, as the government seeks to toughen measures to stop Beijing’s infiltration efforts and deter Taiwanese turncoats. While Beijing and Taipei have been spying on each other for years, experts said that espionage posed a bigger threat to Taiwan due to the risk of a Chinese attack. Taiwan’s intelligence agency said China used “diverse channels and tactics” to infiltrate the nation’s military, government agencies and pro-China organizations. The main targets were retired and active members of the military, persuaded by money, blackmail or pro-China ideology to steal
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
RSS