Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) yesterday expressed regret over the riots at the US Capitol on Wednesday, while reminding Taiwanese in Washington to remain on high alert.
Asked to comment on the riots at a news conference at the Executive Yuan in Taipei, Wu said that it was regrettable to hear of the incident and that the ministry would continue to monitor the situation.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US has issued alerts reminding Taiwanese in the US capital to be on heightened alert and to comply with curfew measures introduced by Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Photo: Lee Hsin-fang, Taipei Times
Wu said that the representative office would do its best to provide whatever assistance Taiwanese in Washington should require.
Asked about Taiwan’s stance on the unrest, Wu said: “We don’t have anything more to say.”
Meanwhile, a Taiwan-US virtual dialogue on political and military affairs was held yesterday morning.
The US Department of State on Tuesday, in a rare high-profile announcement, had said that US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Clarke Cooper would give the opening remarks at the event.
Political analysts said that regional safety and US-Taiwan arms sales would likely have been discussed during the meeting, but Wu declined to comment on any details, only saying that the dialogue had been successfully concluded.
Deputy Minister of National Defense Chang Kuan-chun (張冠群) said that the talks have been held regularly over the years and that they serve to help both sides arrive at measures that would facilitate collaborations in a more practical manner.
In contrast with the state department’s announcement, the Executive Yuan only said that the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was witnessing a peak in US-Taiwan relations.
Both sides have worked closely on regional security and trade issues, and any international collaborations that would aid in efforts to maintain Taiwan’s democracy would be fully supported by the government, the Executive Yuan said.
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source