Taiwan is to boost cooperation with Baltic countries in quantum computing and biotechnology, the Ministry of Science and Technology said yesterday after a meeting with a delegation of visiting lawmakers.
Lithuanian Member of Parliament Matas Maldeikis is leading a delegation of nine other lawmakers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania who arrived in Taiwan on Sunday.
After meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) on Monday, the lawmakers yesterday visited Minister of Science and Technology Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠), who in October visited the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Slovakia.
Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Science and Technology
At the meeting yesterday, the two sides discussed developments in biomedicine, semiconductors and science parks, with the visitors saying that they support deeper tech cooperation between Taiwan and their countries, the science ministry said in a statement.
The delegation’s visit is expected to elevate the nation’s visibility on the global stage and promote its leadership in tech developments, the statement said.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are EU members, but have different technology policies and levels of development, it said.
Through Taiwan’s tech and research policy blueprint, the science ministry has identified quantum computing and biotechnology as key areas to advance cooperation with the three countries, it said.
Other officials at the meeting were Department of Life Sciences Director-General Chen Hong-chen (陳鴻震), Department of Engineering and Technologies Li Chih-peng (李志鵬) and Department of International Cooperation and Science Education Deputy Director-General Huang Yu-chen (黃郁禎), the statement said.
The delegation tomorrow and on Friday are to attend the virtual Open Parliament Forum, cohosted by the Legislative Yuan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US National Democratic Institute.
The foreign ministry did not say when they would leave Taiwan.
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost