Japan, the UK, the EU, Singapore and China have expressed their condolences to the families of the people killed by gas explosions that ripped through a neighborhood in Greater Kaohsiung on Thursday night, causing at least 28 deaths and leaving at least 286 people injured.
Japan’s representative to Taiwan Mikio Numata sent letters of condolence on Friday to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) and Association of East Asian Relations Chairman Lee Chia-chin (李嘉進)
Speaking on behalf of Japan’s Interchange Association, Numata said that he was “deeply saddened” to learn of the blasts in Kaohsiung that killed many people, including firefighters, and offered his deepest sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives.
Photo: AFP
The European Economic and Trade Office in Taipei, on behalf of the EU, also expressed its sincere condolences to the families, the office said on Facebook.
“Our thoughts are with the people of Kaohsiung and we wish prompt recovery to the injured,” the post read.
The Taipei-based British Trade and Cultural Office said in a statement on Friday that it was saddened to learn of the gas explosions that caused heavy loss of life and many injuries.
The Singapore Trade Office in Taipei on Friday also issued a statement extending “deepest condolences.”
Meanwhile, sources said China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits Chairman Chen Deming (陳德銘) called Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Lin Join-sane (林中森).
Chen conveyed China’s sympathy for those affected by the incident, adding that China is willing to provide assistance if it is needed, the sources said.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) supports peaceful unification with China, and President William Lai (賴清德) is “a bit naive” for being a “practical worker for Taiwanese independence,” former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said in an interview published yesterday. Asked about whether the KMT is on the same page as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on the issue of Taiwanese independence or unification with China, Ma told the Malaysian Chinese-language newspaper Sin Chew Daily that they are not. While the KMT supports peaceful unification and is against unification by force, the DPP opposes unification as such and
The annual Taipei Summer Festival, which starts today, is to tone down its fireworks displays, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said on Monday. Fireworks displays are to be held at the riverside site in Datong District’s (大同) Dadaocheng (大稻埕) area on four days at this year’s festival, with the first today, and then on Wednesday next week, July 31 and Aug. 10, the department said. There were eight displays last year, with the reduction aimed at minimizing inconvenience to local residents, it said. The first three shows, which are all on Wednesdays, are to last for five minutes, while the final
EYE ON MAYORS: The DPP would file a complaint with the Control Yuan against Ko and Chiang over their handling of reports of abuse at a preschool in the city The Taipei City Government’s belated response under Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and his predecessor, Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), to alleged child sex abuse at a kindergarten resulted in more children being victimized, two Taipei City Councilors said yesterday. A Taipei preschool teacher has been charged with sexually abusing six children from 2021 to last year at a school registered to his mother. Prosecutors are reportedly considering additional charges amid a wave of new accusations allegedly linking the suspect to 20 other abused children and the discovery at his residence of more than 600 sexually explicit videos featuring minors. The
Taiwanese barista Xie Yi-chen (謝溢宸) recently triumphed at the 2024 World Coffee Championships, taking home 1st place in the World Latte Art category. Xie, 28, impressed the judges in the final round with patterns of a whale, a moose, and a dragon in the three-day competition that took place in Copenhagen, Denmark from June 27-29, clinching the title of latte art world champion during his first time representing Taiwan on the world stage. At a press conference held by the Taiwan Coffee Association on Thursday, Xie said that creating latte art gives him a tremendous feeling of achievement. Speaking about his entries in