The inclusion of Air China among the sponsors of the Republic of China (ROC) Tourism Bureau’s promotional event for the “Tour Taiwan” events in Washington has prompted concerns from some that it might give foreigners the impression that Taiwan is a part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), or that Air China is Taiwanese.
Participants expressed surprise at seeing the short introduction for Air China, a Chinese airline company, within the pamphlet promoting tourism in Taiwan that was handed out at the event. Meanwhile, although China Airlines (華航) and EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空), Taiwan’s two main airlines, are mentioned in the pamphlet, there were no introductions for them.
Noting that Air China is the flagship airline of the PRC, some event participants wondered why an event officially endorsed by the Taiwanese government was promoting a Chinese airline.
Thomas Chang (張維庭), director of the Tourism Bureau’s New York office, said the event’s main purpose was to celebrate the ROC’s centential this year, as well as promote Taiwan-bound tourism.
With the government’s plan to permit independent tourists from China to visit Taiwan, Chinese tourists and overseas Chinese are the main focus of the bureau’s efforts, Chang added.
Chang said Air China was included in the promotional pamphlets because Air China had flights that flew directly to Taipei.
Deputy Director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office Jacob Chang (張大同) was invited to give the opening speech for the event. He said he did not know Air China was a sponsor until he arrived at the event, which was held at Fogo de Chao, a renowned restaurant in Washington.
Air China’s New York office representative, meanwhile, also attended the event.
TRANSLATED BY JAKE CHUNG, STAFF WRITER
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
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
RSS