Mon, Jun 19, 2023 page2

• Southeastern US states all offer Taiwan support

  COOPERATION: A Canadian bill proposes exempting senior Taiwanese officials from visa requirements, and calls for closer exchanges between the two sides

  • By Yang Cheng-yu and Liu Tzu-hsuan / Staff reporters
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  The North Carolina legislature has passed a “Taiwan-Friendly Statement,” marking the second year in a row in which all six states in the southeastern US passed bills or statements in support of Taiwan.

  Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta Director-General Elliot Wang (王翼龍) witnessed the passing of the statement on Thursday last week, the office wrote on Facebook.

  The statement supports Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, the office said.

  

  Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta Director-General Elliot Wang, left, is pictured with North Carolina Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, center, in North Carolina in an undated photograph.

  Photo: Screen grab from the Facebook page of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta

  Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co held a talent recruitment event at Duke University in North Carolina to promote cooperation with Taiwan in the high-tech and electric vehicle industries, one of the state’s major industries, the statement said.

  The first Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning in the state was opened in Raleigh, offering Mandarin courses and organizing many cultural activities, it said.

  After the US Southeastern State Legislature Taiwan Caucus was launched in 2021, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and North Carolina showed their support for Taiwan by passing bills or statements in the past two years, the office said in a statement on Friday.

  They passed bills and statements to support Taiwan’s international participation, set up trade offices in Taiwan, cooperate with Taiwan in language education and highlight the region’s friendship with the nation, it said.

  The six states have been enhancing ties with Taiwan, it said, citing as an example that Representative to the US Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) was invited to give a speech at the legislature in Kentucky and witness the passing of pro-Taiwan resolutions by the Kentucky Senate and the Kentucky House of Representatives in February.

  Wang was invited for the first time to speak at the state senates of Georgia and Alabama, where he emphasized the importance of the Taiwan-US partnership, and encouraged lawmakers to join the caucus, it said.

  To improve understanding and support for Taiwan in the southeastern states, Wang has held multiple symposiums at the state legislatures and organized in-depth exchanges with lawmakers on Taiwan-US relations, it said.

  He encouraged the states to set up trade offices in Taiwan, promote cooperation in Mandarin education and boost tourism by introducing Taiwanese food, it said.

  Separately, the Canada-Taiwan Relations Framework Act introduced by Canadian lawmaker Michael Cooper passed its first reading in the House of Commons on Thursday.

  “Taiwan is a vibrant democracy, a world-leading economy and an important ally of Canada. This is an important step. Let’s get it done,” Cooper wrote on Twitter on Friday.

  The Canadian government should “promote meaningful security and defense cooperation between Canada and Taiwan, including by supporting Taiwan’s participation in regional security dialogues and military exercises,” the proposed bill says.

  The government should support Taiwan’s participation in international trade agreements, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, it says.

  Any effort to determine the future of Taiwan other than by peaceful means should be considered a threat to the peace and security of the Indo-Pacific region and of grave concern to Canada, it says.

  The president or senior government officials of Taiwan should be exempted from the requirement to obtain a visa for non-official visits to Canada, it says.

  Canadian and Taiwanese officials should have closer exchanges in health, science, indigenous matters, digital governance, human rights, the promotion of democracy and the challenges related to disinformation, it says.

  The bill appropriately permits Taiwan’s office in Ottawa to be referred to as the Taiwan representative office, Cooper said.

  In other developments, the nationality of Taiwanese would not be listed as “China” on French-language certifications under new regulations announced on Thursday.

  The French government announced on its Web site that nationality would not be listed on the Diploma in French Language Studies and the Diploma in Advanced French Language.

  The diplomas are to include the holder’s name, date of birth and place of birth.

  “Taiwanese won’t be marked as Chinese nationals,” Representative to France Francois Wu (吳志中) wrote on Facebook.
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