The German-Taiwan Association said it has invited Control Yuan President and National Human Rights Commission Chairperson Chen Chu (陳菊) to represent Taiwan at Human Rights Day events in Berlin next month.
The relationship between Taiwan and Germany has been growing closer in the past few months. Last week, German lawmakers Marcus Faber — who is also the association’s chairman — and Holger Becker visited Taiwan.
The two visited the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, United Microelectronics Corp, the National Development Council and the Legislative Yuan, the association said.
Photo: Screen grab from Chen Chu’s Facebook page
They met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) on Thursday to exchange views on a number of topics, it said.
Before their visit, a seven-member delegation headed by German-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Klaus-Peter Willsch arrived in Taipei on Oct. 2 for a five-day visit.
Before that, a delegation led by German lawmaker Peter Heidt arrived for a four-day visit to discuss human rights issues with local officials and academics, and visited the National Human Rights Commission.
German Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Franziska Brantner on Tuesday arrived in Taiwan for a two-day visit.
Separately, National Science and Technology Council Minister Wu Tsung-tsong (吳政忠) on Tuesday departed to visit France and Germany.
He met German Minister of Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger to discuss Taiwan’s and Germany’s development of semiconductors and artificial intelligence, as well as the influence of geopolitics on the global supply chain.
Stark-Watzinger said that Taiwan “is an important democratic partner” and “plays an important role in the supply chain of science and technology.”
She hopes that Germany can boost cooperation with Taiwan in science and development, such as research and development of advanced lithium batteries, artificial intelligence, semiconductor technologies and postdoctoral training.
Taiwan values democracy, peace and mutual prosperity, and is willing to work with countries that respect freedom, democracy and human rights, Wu said.
Additional reporting by Chen Chia-i
DEFENSE: The National Security Bureau promised to expand communication and intelligence cooperation with global partners and enhance its strategic analytical skills China has not only increased military exercises and “gray zone” tactics against Taiwan this year, but also continues to recruit military personnel for espionage, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said yesterday in a report to the Legislative Yuan. The bureau submitted the report ahead of NSB Director-General Tsai Ming-yen’s (蔡明彥) appearance before the Foreign and National Defense Committee today. Last year, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted “Joint Sword-2024A and B” military exercises targeting Taiwan and carried out 40 combat readiness patrols, the bureau said. In addition, Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s airspace 3,070 times last year, up about
The Overseas Community Affairs Council (OCAC) yesterday announced a fundraising campaign to support survivors of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, with two prayer events scheduled in Taipei and Taichung later this week. “While initial rescue operations have concluded [in Myanmar], many survivors are now facing increasingly difficult living conditions,” OCAC Minister Hsu Chia-ching (徐佳青) told a news conference in Taipei. The fundraising campaign, which runs through May 31, is focused on supporting the reconstruction of damaged overseas compatriot schools, assisting students from Myanmar in Taiwan, and providing essential items, such as drinking water, food and medical supplies,
STRICTER ENFORCEMENT: Taipei authorities warned against drunk cycling after a sharp rise in riding under the influence, urging greater public awareness of its illegality Taipei authorities have issued a public warning urging people not to ride bicycles after consuming alcohol, following a sharp rise in riding under the influence (DUI) cases involving bicycles. Five hundred and seven people were charged with DUI last year while riding YouBikes, personal bicycles, or other self-propelled two-wheelers — a fourfold increase from the previous year, data released by the Taipei Police Department’s Traffic Division showed. Of these, 33 cases were considered severe enough to be prosecuted under “offenses against public safety,” the data showed. Under the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例), bicycles — including YouBikes and other
New Party Deputy Secretary-General You Chih-pin (游智彬) this morning went to the National Immigration Agency (NIA) to “turn himself in” after being notified that he had failed to provide proof of having renounced his Chinese household registration. He was one of more than 10,000 naturalized Taiwanese citizens from China who were informed by the NIA that their Taiwanese citizenship might be revoked if they fail to provide the proof in three months, people familiar with the matter said. You said he has proof that he had renounced his Chinese household registration and demanded the NIA provide proof that he still had Chinese
RSS