Eswatini’s new Prime Minister Russell Dlamini reaffirmed the kingdom’s 50- plus-year diplomatic ties with Taiwan in a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in Taipei yesterday. Dlamini said he wanted to make it clear that diplomatic relations with Taiwan remained a top priority for the government of Eswatini and the country’s ruler, King Mswati III. He also wished to use his first visit as prime minister to thank Taiwan for assisting the Kingdom of Eswatini. Eswatini is "grateful" and committed to a "strategic partnership" with Taiwan, as well as the country’s vision and technical support, Dlamini said. Dlamini, who was appointed to office on Nov. 3, 2023, said he would also use his first trip to Taiwan as prime minister to meet with Taiwanese engineers helping build an oil storage tank in Eswatini. During the meeting at the Presidential Office, Tsai welcomed Dlamini, who serves as an adviser to King Mswati III. "I am confident that this trip will enable you to experience Taiwan’s rich culture and further deepen our bilateral friendship," Tsai said. Tsai told Dlamini’s delegation that she witnessed the signing of three MOUs during her last trip to Eswatini in September 2023. Among these was an agreement to help the Eswantini build an oil storage tank capable of holding 30 days of reserves, according to Taiwan’s government. Tsai also thanked the Dlamini for supporting Taiwan’s participation during the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, in December 2023. During his COP28 address, Dlamini said all countries should be part of the agreements and commitments on climate action. "If countries like Taiwan have voluntarily committed for the sake of the planet and people without being a party to the negotiations, then the rest of us can," Dlamini said, adding that Eswatini calls for Taiwan’s formal inclusion in future COP meetings. Dlamini arrived in Taiwan on Monday, together with Eswatini’s Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Prince Lonkhokhela and Prime Minister’s Office Principal Secretary Bertram Stewart, among others. Eswatini is one of 12 states worldwide and the last in Africa to maintain diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, Taiwan’s official name.
Photo: CNA
WANG RELEASED: A police investigation showed that an organized crime group allegedly taught their clients how to pretend to be sick during medical exams Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) and 11 others were released on bail yesterday, after being questioned for allegedly dodging compulsory military service or forging documents to help others avoid serving. Wang, 33, was catapulted into stardom for his role in the coming-of-age film Our Times (我的少女時代). Lately, he has been focusing on developing his entertainment career in China. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office last month began investigating an organized crime group that is allegedly helping men dodge compulsory military service using falsified documents. Police in New Taipei City Yonghe Precinct at the end of last month arrested the main suspect,
A cat named Mikan (蜜柑) has brought in revenue of more than NT$10 million (US$305,390) for the Kaohsiung MRT last year. Mikan, born on April 4, 2020, was a stray cat before being adopted by personnel of Kaohsiung MRT’s Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station. Mikan was named after a Japanese term for mandarin orange due to his color and because he looks like an orange when curled up. He was named “station master” of Ciaotou Sugar Refinery Station in September 2020, and has since become famous. With Kaohsiung MRT’s branding, along with the release of a set of cultural and creative products, station master Mikan
Eleven people, including actor Darren Wang (王大陸), were taken into custody today for questioning regarding the evasion of compulsory military service and document forgery, the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said. Eight of the people, including Wang, are suspected of evading military service, while three are suspected of forging medical documents to assist them, the report said. They are all being questioned by police and would later be transferred to the prosecutors’ office for further investigation. Three men surnamed Lee (李), Chang (張) and Lin (林) are suspected of improperly assisting conscripts in changing their military classification from “stand-by
LITTORAL REGIMENTS: The US Marine Corps is transitioning to an ‘island hopping’ strategy to counterattack Beijing’s area denial strategy The US Marine Corps (USMC) has introduced new anti-drone systems to bolster air defense in the Pacific island chain amid growing Chinese military influence in the region, The Telegraph reported on Sunday. The new Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) Mk 1 is being developed to counter “the growing menace of unmanned aerial systems,” it cited the Marine Corps as saying. China has constructed a powerful defense mechanism in the Pacific Ocean west of the first island chain by deploying weapons such as rockets, submarines and anti-ship missiles — which is part of its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy against adversaries — the
RSS