Two parliamentary associations to facilitate exchanges with lawmakers abroad were inaugurated at a ceremony at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday — the Taiwan-New Zealand Inter-Parliamentary Amity Association and the Taiwan-Four Nordic Countries Parliamentary Friendship Association.
The four Nordic countries are Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
The associations were launched by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Michelle Lin (林楚茵), who aims to enhance international diplomacy before the end of the current legislative term on Jan. 31 next year.
Photo: CNA
The associations aim to create opportunities for exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and the five countries regarding foreign affairs, economic matters, trade, culture, education and dealings with overseas Taiwanese, she said.
Lin said she would like to work with newly appointed Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Wellington Representative Joanne Ou (歐江安) to boost economic and cultural exchanges between Taiwan and New Zealand.
Department of European Affairs Director Vincent Yao (姚金祥), who is a former representative to Sweden, can provide firsthand experience and help bolster ties between Taiwan and the Nordic countries, she said.
The associations can ambitiously assist with parliamentary diplomacy, which is “the best way to let the world see Taiwan,” Legislative Yuan Secretary-General Lin Jih-jia (林志嘉) said.
Economic ties with New Zealand have been growing stronger since a free-trade agreement was signed in 2013, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary-General Tang Diann-wen (唐殿文) said, adding that the two countries are like-minded partners in the Indo-Pacific region,
Sweden sent a delegation to Taiwan in April last year, followed by Finland earlier this month, each showing their concern and support for Taiwan, Tang said.
New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office Director Mark Pearson said he thinks the association can help Taiwan better understand New Zealand and the relations between the two sides.
The Taiwan Friendship Group being one of the largest parliamentary groups in the Swedish Riksdag reflects “high, growing and positive interests for Taiwan,” as the two sides share values regarding democracy, human rights and the rule of law, Swedish Representative to Taiwan Anders Wollter said.
The two countries have had fruitful exchanges in business, research, student exchanges, culture and sustainability, which Nordic countries have benefited from, Wollter said.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) supports peaceful unification with China, and President William Lai (賴清德) is “a bit naive” for being a “practical worker for Taiwanese independence,” former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said in an interview published yesterday. Asked about whether the KMT is on the same page as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on the issue of Taiwanese independence or unification with China, Ma told the Malaysian Chinese-language newspaper Sin Chew Daily that they are not. While the KMT supports peaceful unification and is against unification by force, the DPP opposes unification as such and
The annual Taipei Summer Festival, which starts today, is to tone down its fireworks displays, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said on Monday. Fireworks displays are to be held at the riverside site in Datong District’s (大同) Dadaocheng (大稻埕) area on four days at this year’s festival, with the first today, and then on Wednesday next week, July 31 and Aug. 10, the department said. There were eight displays last year, with the reduction aimed at minimizing inconvenience to local residents, it said. The first three shows, which are all on Wednesdays, are to last for five minutes, while the final
EYE ON MAYORS: The DPP would file a complaint with the Control Yuan against Ko and Chiang over their handling of reports of abuse at a preschool in the city The Taipei City Government’s belated response under Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and his predecessor, Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), to alleged child sex abuse at a kindergarten resulted in more children being victimized, two Taipei City Councilors said yesterday. A Taipei preschool teacher has been charged with sexually abusing six children from 2021 to last year at a school registered to his mother. Prosecutors are reportedly considering additional charges amid a wave of new accusations allegedly linking the suspect to 20 other abused children and the discovery at his residence of more than 600 sexually explicit videos featuring minors. The
FATAL ILLNESS: Untreated symptoms can rapidly worsen to complications such as high fever, seizures and loss of consciousness, and can be life-threatening, a doctor said Hospitals have been reporting dozens of people with heat-related illnesses every day over the past week, given continuous high daytime temperatures, so recognizing the early signs of heatstroke is crucial in preventing serious complications, a Taipei City Hospital emergency physician said. The Central Weather Administration yesterday issued a heat alert for 19 cities and counties across Taiwan, with temperatures in New Taipei City, Miaoli County and Pingtung County likely to exceed 38°C, and temperatures in 12 cities and counties likely to exceed 36°C for three days straight. More than a dozen people were taken to hospitals for heat-related illnesses every day from