The US Navy has invited Taiwan to participate in the Pacific Partnership humanitarian relief training mission in the Solomon Islands in August, a senior defense official said on condition of anonymity.
Washington has been working toward giving Taiwan a greater role in the Pacific Partnership long before the US Senate began mulling hospital ship visits to Taiwan, although those efforts have received little publicity, the official said.
Taiwanese military physicians conducted a joint exercise with the US in Kiribati last year, the official said, adding that the yearly drills alternate between the Solomon Islands and Kiribati.
The Solomons and Kiribati are diplomatic allies of Taiwan.
However, in the event of a natural disaster in the South Pacific region, the scheduled drills would be revamped accordingly, the official said.
The training mission would simulate a natural disaster that results in a large-scale outbreak of infectious disease, the official said.
Military medical personnel taking part in the exercise would be expected to organize relief for the crisis, with particular attention being paid to fielding experts in treatment, patient care, public health and epidemiology, the official said.
Developing and sustaining rapid disaster response capabilities for military medical corps are of increasing importance in light of elevated tsunami and earthquake risks throughout the region, as well as the outbreaks of infectious diseases that follow natural disasters, the official said.
Major General Chen Jiann-torng (陳建同) has played a key role in the implementation of cooperation with the US in military medicine, the official said.
Chen, who is expected to be promoted to lieutenant general this month, said the Medical Affairs Bureau aims to improve diplomatic ties through military medicine and by strengthening the armed forces’ medical capabilities.
Performing those tasks is part of the nation’s obligation as a member of the international community, he said.
Asked yesterday if he could confirm the August mission, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Major General Chen Chung-chi (陳中吉) refused to comment.
Chieh Chung (揭仲), a research fellow at the National Policy Foundation, said that in the face of pressure from China, Taiwan could increase its international and military presence by participating in international humanitarian aid drills and exchanges with other countries.
There is precedent for Taiwan to participate in international humanitarian relief efforts, he said, citing the navy’s delivery of relief supplies to the Philippines, under the direction of the US Pacific Command, after Typhoon Haiyan killed 6,300 people there in 2013.
If Taiwanese medics were allowed aboard US Navy ships to join US-led medical assistance efforts, it would be a good strategy to boost the nation’s international participation, Chieh said.
Additional reporting by CNA
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by