The US’ and Japan’s envoys to Taiwan yesterday highlighted the mutual assistance among the three sides in times of difficulty as they commemorated the disastrous 921 Earthquake that jolted central Taiwan 25 years ago.
In a video released yesterday, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) Director Raymond Greene and Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Kazuyuki Katayama said that Taiwan, Japan and the US “are stronger” when they “unite together.”
The two officials said that when any of the three sides had been hit by natural disasters or health crises, the other two would quickly come to its aid by providing relief and sending rescue teams.
Photo courtesy of the AIT
They recounted events such as the earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale that struck central Taiwan on Sept. 21, 1999, killing 2,456 people, injuring 10,718 and destroying thousands of buildings; and the massive earthquake in eastern Japan on March 11, 2011, which triggered tsunamis that triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.
When COVID-19 swept across the world in 2020, Taiwan provided hundreds of thousands of protective masks to the US and Japan, both of which later donated vaccines to Taiwan when it faced shortages, they said.
The US, Japan and Taiwan are “strong partners” that “respect democracy and human rights,” and their close cooperation and mutual assistance have “further strengthened the ties” among the people from the three sides, Greene said.
Working hand in hand, the three sides could overcome the threats brought about by natural disasters and pandemics, Katayama said.
The AIT and the association represent their respective country’s interests in Taiwan and function as de facto embassies in the absence of formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.
Separately, President William Lai (賴清德) said at an event in Taichung to commemorate the 921 Earthquake that Taiwan has become an “important disaster rescue team” in the Asia-Pacific region and is capable of helping countries in need.
Right after the devastating incident, several countries, including South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Germany, Canada and the US, sent teams to Taiwan to help with rescue efforts, Lai said.
Taiwan received a lot of international help, but now it is capable of helping others, he said, adding that not only are Taiwanese search and rescue teams highly qualified, they also have 53 rescue dog with international certification.
In related news, an earthquake rocked Hualien County at 6:51pm yesterday, Central Weather Administration data showed.
The epicenter of the temblor was 29.4km north of Hualien County Hall at a depth of 17km, the data showed.
The earthquake’s intensity, which gauges the actual effect of a seismic event, was highest in Hualien County, where it measured 4 on Taiwan’s seven-tier intensity scale.
The quake measured 3 in parts of Yilan County, Nantou County and Taichung, the data showed.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries following the quake.
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