The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday thanked the European Parliament for supporting Taiwan’s observer status in international organizations not requiring statehood, saying such a resolution shows European countries are gradually increasing their support for Taiwan’s bid for increased international participation.
MOFA Spokesman Henry Chen (陳銘政) said the European Parliament is an important element of the EU and its resolution holds significant influence.
The “Resolution on Trade and Economic Relations with China” was passed on Feb. 5 in Strasbourg, France.
MOFA’s Web site said the parliament “welcomes the rapprochement between China and Taiwan; considers Taiwan as an economic and commercial entity, which is the EU’s 4th largest trade partner in Asia; supports Taiwan’s participation as observer in relevant international organizations where this does not require statehood, such as the International Labor Organization.”
“This resolution does not specify which international organization, which in our opinion shows major progress,” Chen said.
In 2002, the parliament passed a unanimous resolution supporting Taiwan as an observer at the World Health Assembly, the supreme decision-making body of the WHO.
WANG RELEASED: A police investigation showed that an organized crime group allegedly taught their clients how to pretend to be sick during medical exams Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) and 11 others were released on bail yesterday, after being questioned for allegedly dodging compulsory military service or forging documents to help others avoid serving. Wang, 33, was catapulted into stardom for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代). Lately, he has been focusing on developing his entertainment career in China. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office last month began investigating an organized crime group that is allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified documents. Police in New Taipei City Yonghe Precinct at the end of last month arrested the main suspect,
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Former Taiwan People’s Party chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) may apply to visit home following the death of his father this morning, the Taipei Detention Center said. Ko’s father, Ko Cheng-fa (柯承發), passed away at 8:40am today at the Hsinchu branch of National Taiwan University Hospital. He was 94 years old. The center said Ko Wen-je was welcome to apply, but declined to say whether it had already received an application. The center also provides psychological counseling to people in detention as needed, it added, also declining to comment on Ko Wen-je’s mental state. Ko Wen-je is being held in detention as he awaits trial
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