Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) on Monday met with US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell at the US Department of State in Washington, and pledged to enhance bilateral ties.
Before departing to Washington, Hsiao told local media that she would use “war cat” diplomacy — as cats are smart, agile and flexible — to secure a space for survival amid a fast-changing global situation.
She took her four cats with her to the US.
Photo: screen grab from Facebook page of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in Washington yesterday posted a photograph showing Hsiao meeting Stilwell on its Facebook and Twitter pages, which are titled “Taiwan in the US.”
The office wrote that Hsiao looks forward to working with Stilwell and his team at the bureau to develop an “even closer Taiwan-US partnership.”
“Taiwan is committed to expanding our economic, security, cultural & educational ties with the US in the years ahead,” the office wrote.
During their meeting, Hsiao and Stilwell exchanged opinions on improving bilateral ties, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Joanne Ou (歐江安) said yesterday.
Asked if the meeting took place at the US Department of State, Ou said that, based on a tacit understanding between both sides, the ministry would refrain from disclosing the content of their conversation or other details about the meeting.
Judging by the photograph’s background — which was possibly the same place where Stilwell met then-outgoing representative to the US Stanley Kao (高碩泰) on July 8 — Hsiao and Stilwell might have met at the US Department of State, the US Taiwan Watch group wrote on Facebook yesterday.
Just a few years ago, Taiwan’s diplomats could rarely appear together with US administrative officials publicly, and were forbidden from entering the US Department of State by some of the US’ internal regulations, it wrote.
Later yesterday, Hsiao wrote on Facebook that Stilwell had received her at the US Department of State.
“Although we practiced social distancing, we wore, under our masks, smiles of pleasure for the meeting,” she wrote in Chinese.
“Taiwan is a force for good and a trustworthy partner for the world, and many important issues between Taiwan and the US are waiting to be boosted,” she added.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS