Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (
During his stay, Ma will visit major Indian information technology industry associations, including the powerful National Association of Software and Service Companies.
Ma, a former KMT chairman and a two-term mayor of Taipei from 1998 to last year, will also meet India's ruling Congress Party leader Karan Singh and Rajnath Singh, chairman of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party for wide-ranging talks.
PHOTO: CNA
Following his India visit, Ma will travel to Singapore for a brief visit. His itinerary includes visits to the city state's harbor bureau and getting first-hand information about its casino management, as well as meetings with Singaporean political heavyweights, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (
Prior to his departure from Taipei late on Monday, Ma said that the five-day, two-leg visit was aimed at promoting international exchanges.
Noting that both India and Singapore are important players in the international community, Ma said that if he won the next presidential election, he would not ignore them in his diplomatic agenda.
"While India boasts a large software talent pool and robust economic strength, Singapore also plays an important role in global trade and regional politics. We cannot afford to overlook them in our diplomatic work," Ma said.
He said that the Democratic Progressive Party administration had regrettably failed to do more in forging closer ties with the two Asian neighbors.
Given India's excellence and prominence in computer software production, Ma said India can complement Taiwan, one of the world's top computer hardware suppliers, in information and communication technology industry development.
Taiwan would benefit much from forging closer economic and political ties with India, he said.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
RESTRICTIONS: All food items imported from the five prefectures must be accompanied by radiation and origin certificates, and undergo batch-by-batch inspection The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday announced that almost all produce from five Japanese prefectures affected by the 2011 Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster would now be allowed into Taiwan. The five are Fukushima, Gunma, Chiba, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The only items that would still be blocked from being imported into the nation are those that are still banned from being circulated in Japan, the FDA added. With the removal of the ban, items including mushrooms, the meat of wild birds and other wild animals, and koshiabura” (foraged vegetables) would now be permitted to enter Taiwan, along with the other
A new tropical storm is expected to form by early tomorrow morning, potentially developing into a medium-strength typhoon that is to affect Taiwan through Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration said today. There are currently two tropical systems circulating to the east of Taiwan, agency forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. The one currently north of Guam developed into Tropical Storm Gebi this afternoon and is expected to veer toward Japan without affecting Taiwan, Hsu said. Another tropical depression is 600km from the east coast and is likely to develp into the named storm Krathon either late tonight or early tomorrow, he said. This
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although