The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has decided to create a new “ambassador-at-large” position, to allow diplomats who are returning to Taiwan after being posted overseas for years to continue working on important diplomatic projects, a diplomatic source said yesterday.
According to a set of guidelines on a post released on Nov. 15, senior diplomats who are consul-generals and counselors on home assignments are eligible to serve as ambassadors-at-large and handle special diplomatic projects.
The ambassador-at-large has been appointed by the president since 1998. The post has been filled by non-civil servants who specialize in certain fields to promote Taiwan’s diplomacy around the globe.
Photo: Taipei Times
Unlike a diplomat in residence, who is usually limited to a country or embassy, the ambassador-at-large is typically entrusted with operating in several neighboring countries or a region.
An ambassador-at-large might even be specifically assigned to advise and assist the government on issues. Taiwan currently has ambassadors-at-large for religion and cyber affairs.
The new ambassador-at-large position is intended for diplomats rather than non-civil servants, said a diplomatic source familiar with the matter, who did not want to be named.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) is hoping that the diplomats in the new posts would be responsible for specific projects, including opening or reopening overseas offices, Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, trade deal talks and non-governmental organization exchanges, among others, the source said.
The main reason the new posts were established is that most of diplomats have first-hand experience overseas, with rich connections and language skills, but do not have a place to exercise their talents after returning to ministry headquarters in Taipei, because many posts have already been filled, the source quoted Lin as saying.
The new project is expected to give them plenty of opportunities to make use of their diplomatic experience and connections, the source cited as Lin saying.
Taiwan is stepping up plans to create self-sufficient supply chains for combat drones and increase foreign orders from the US to counter China’s numerical superiority, a defense official said on Saturday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, the official said the nation’s armed forces are in agreement with US Admiral Samuel Paparo’s assessment that Taiwan’s military must be prepared to turn the nation’s waters into a “hellscape” for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Paparo, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, reiterated the concept during a Congressional hearing in Washington on Wednesday. He first coined the term in a security conference last
Prosecutors today declined to say who was questioned regarding alleged forgery on petitions to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators, after Chinese-language media earlier reported that members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Youth League were brought in for questioning. The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau confirmed that two people had been questioned, but did not disclose any further information about the ongoing investigation. KMT Youth League members Lee Hsiao-liang (李孝亮) and Liu Szu-yin (劉思吟) — who are leading the effort to recall DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) — both posted on Facebook saying: “I
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
RSS