The government would respect the decision of the organizer of the John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service on whether it plans to award a prize to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday.
The statement was issued after US Web site Politico reported a day earlier that the Canadian government had warned the Halifax International Security Forum (HFX) not to give the award to Tsai for fear of provoking Beijing.
“The ministry believes that if the Halifax International Security Forum confers the prize upon President Tsai, it would be an affirmation and honor for both President Tsai and the people of Taiwan, for their efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and their democratic achievements,” ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said.
The John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service is bestowed annually by the HFX to individuals who have demonstrated uncommon leadership in the pursuit of human justice.
The prize was first given to the People of Lesbos, Greece, in 2018 for their “valiant actions to rescue refugees fleeing conflict in the Middle East.”
The People of Hong Kong were awarded the following year for their “brave fight for their rights in the face of oppression from the government of China.”
The HFX decided late last year to give the prize to Tsai for “standing strong against China’s relentless pressure,” Politico reported.
However, the Canadian government threatened to pull its support and funding from the HFX if the award was given to Tsai, the report said.
HFX vice president Robin Shepherd was quoted by Politico as saying that Tsai is a well-respected international leader, the first female president of Taiwan and a strong global advocate for democracy.
“She would certainly be an ideal fit for this award. At this time, we have no further announcements to make,” Shepherd said.
The ministry has taken note of the reports, Ou said, adding that the HFX has yet to announce the winner of the prize.
Taiwan-Canada bilateral relations are cordial, she said, adding that the two are like-minded nations that share values such as democracy, rule of law and human rights.
“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has publicly recognized Taiwan’s democratic system and has endorsed Taiwan’s meaningful participation in multilateral international forums,” she added.
Taiwan is grateful for Canada’s long-standing support of its participation in international organizations, Ou said.
“In line with the shared values of freedom and democracy, Taiwan will continue to maintain close contact and cordial ties with the Canadian government, the HFX and other friends from all sectors of Canadian society,” she said.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
IMPORTANT BACKER: China seeks to expel US influence from the Indo-Pacific region and supplant Washington as the global leader, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said China is preparing for war to seize Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said in Washington on Friday, warning that Taiwan’s fall would trigger a regional “domino effect” endangering US security. In a speech titled “Maintaining the Peaceful and Stable Status Quo Across the Taiwan Strait is in Line with the Shared Interests of Taiwan and the United States,” Chiu said Taiwan’s strategic importance is “closely tied” to US interests. Geopolitically, Taiwan sits in a “core position” in the first island chain — an arc stretching from Japan, through Taiwan and the Philippines, to Borneo, which is shared by
RSS