Lawmakers establish parliamentary amity association with Somaliland

2023-05-12

Taiwan and Somaliland established representative offices in each other’s territories three years ago, but due to COVID, bilateral exchanges were rather limited. On Friday, lawmaker in Taiwan established a parliamentary friendship association to boost ties. The group is headed by Lin Ching-yi, who previously worked as a medical worker in Somaliland. Lin recently tested positive for COVID, so on Friday she voiced her hopes for the group in a prerecorded video message. Let’s hear from her.

Lin Ching-yi
DPP lawmaker
In face of China’s threats to our democracy, economy and peace, we are extremely grateful to have one more friend, Somaliland. Many countries in Africa are cooperating with China’s Belt and Road Initiative. But their engagement with that has led to economic and political problems.

Alexander Yui
Vice foreign minister
We adhere to the spirit of real diplomacy and mutual help when engaging with the international community. There’s cooperation in medicine, fisheries, agriculture and telecommunications. We also offer scholarships. Currently there are 50-something scholars from Somaliland studying in Taiwan. We want to deepen and broaden our cooperation.

Mohamed Hagi
Somaliland representative to Taiwan
Somaliland is the closest country to Taiwan in Africa. It’s poised to become Taiwan’s gateway to East Africa: 19 African countries with a combined population of 500 million people.

Somaliland has been self-governing since 1991, when it declared independence from Somalia. It has abundant natural resources, including oil. Already Taiwan’s state-run refiner CPC has signed an agreement with the government of Somaliland to launch prospecting operations. Lawmakers hope the amity association will further boost Taiwan-Somaliland ties.

台灣與索馬利蘭成立國會聯誼小組加強交流

2023-05-12

台灣跟索馬利蘭3年前互相設立代表處，因為疫情的關係，直到今天才成立國會聯誼小組，希望促進兩國情誼。立委林靜儀過去曾到索馬利蘭行醫，眾人也推舉她當第一屆台索國會聯誼會長，不過她因為確診，改以預錄影片致詞。

[[立委(民) 林靜儀]]
“我們面對中國在民主、經濟，以及區域和平的威脅時，非常感謝增加一個朋友，索馬利蘭，非洲多數國家，都是中國一帶一路合作國家，也因為一帶一路政策，遭遇到很大經濟上、國家治理上困難”

[[外交部次長俞大㵢]]
“(我國)秉持踏實外交跟互惠互助精神參與國際社會，醫療、漁業、農業、資通訊，還有獎學金，他們目前有50幾位優秀的索馬利蘭學子在台灣就讀，我們來更深化，廣化彼此合作”

[[索馬利蘭駐台代表穆姆德]]
“(索馬利蘭)是非洲最靠近台灣的國家，可以連結台灣跟東非，包含19個國家跟5億人民”

索馬利蘭1991年宣布從索馬利亞獨立，但未受到索馬利亞及國際社會承認。索馬利蘭擁有豐富天然資源，目前中油也和該國政府達成協議，探勘油田，期待這份情誼也能帶來兩國經濟雙贏。

Outcome of Ukraine war will affect China’s decision on Taiwan invasion: top US General

The U.S. is, as ever, paying close attention to rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait. In the latest, American national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, met with top Chinese official Wang Yi, where he stressed that Washington would abide by its bedrock "one China" policy and the Taiwan Relations Act. Meanwhile, General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said the outcome of the Russo-Ukrainian war could affect the way tensions in the Taiwan Strait play out.

China’s main active duty drone, the CH-4 Rainbow, on Thursday entered Taiwan’s ADIZ from the northeast and circled Taiwan in a clockwise direction. This is the third time for a Chinese drone to fly close to Taiwan in half a month.

Responding to China’s increasing military intimidation, the annual Han Kuang military exercises this year are focused on anti-landing drills. However, national defense needs to be strengthened and civil defense is even more important.

Chang Po-yang
Taiwan Statebuilding Party
Each person should have a pocket book, there should be one in the hands of every person in every household, that gives them sufficient knowledge relating to how to respond to air raids and disaster prevention. Starting with communities, people one by one should have a concept of national defense. If there is a sense of national defense, then one more community, one more citizen will become the vanguard of our military.

Cross-strait relations are becoming increasingly tense and the U.S. is paying close attention. White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan on Thursday met with Wang Yi, the director of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission Office. In the meeting, Sullivan reiterated that the U.S. would work to abide by its “one China” policy in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act and oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo. He also expressed hope that differences between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait could be resolved peacefully. General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff also expressed his views about the Taiwan Strait at a congressional hearing.

Mark Milley
US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
I think that what Putin has done is an illegal direct assault on that order and if he’s allowed to succeed in that, China will learn certain lessons and it may not be the single decisive point, but I think it will calculate into their decision making as to whether or not they attack Taiwan. I think the outcome of Ukraine is critical to much broader issues than just Ukraine.

Taiwan can also learn from the Ukraine experience in its war with Russia and speed up preparations so it can respond to anything China might do.

2023-05-12

US to provide Ukraine with US$1.2 billion aid package

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that Washington is looking to cooperate with China to "solve big challenges." His remarks come as China prepares to send an envoy to Ukraine for peace talks. Meanwhile, the U.S. is providing Ukraine with $1.2 billion in military aid ahead of its expected spring offensive against Russia. Voice of America’s Nike Ching has more.

Russian forces attacked Kyiv with a barrage of missiles, hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a speech at a Victory Day parade in Moscow’s Red Square, accusing the West of waging a “real war” against Russia. In Washington, the Pentagon said the U.S. will provide Ukraine with $1.2 billion in military aid, ahead of its expected spring offensive against Russia.

Antony Blinken
US secretary of state
Right now, of course, the focus is on the Ukrainian efforts that we anticipate to try to retake more of the territory that’s been seized from Ukraine by Russia over the last 14 plus months. My own estimation is that they have in place across all of those dimensions what they need to continue to be successful in regaining territory.

Ukraine’s spring offensive against Russia may pave the way for negotiations by the end of the year, officials say. In Europe, officials said China could play a part.

Annalena Baerbock
German foreign minister
China, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, can play a significant role in ending the war if it chooses to do so.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Tuesday that China is preparing to send a peace envoy to Ukraine.

Qin Gang
Chinese foreign minister
We will persist in promoting peace talks. And we will send the Chinese government’s special envoy for Eurasian affairs to visit Ukraine in the near future.

But one analyst is skeptical.

William Taylor
US Institute of Peace
The Chinese are not neutral. They are not unbiased. They are clearly tilted, much tilted toward Russia. The key caution is to be sure that any conversation with the Chinese about the Ukraine war — Russian war on Ukraine — has the Ukrainians as participants.

U.S. officials say there is a role for China to play in mediating peace talks. But such diplomatic efforts should be consistent with the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Nike Ching, VOA News, Washington.

2023-05-12

President and foreign minister attend Christian prayer breakfast

President Tsai Ing-wen and foreign minister Joseph Wu attended a Christian prayer breakfast event on Friday, which had been on hiatus for three years due to the pandemic. In her address to participants, Tsai praised the church for being a force for stability in Taiwan. Security was on high alert at the event, however, as just one day before, Wu had received death threats from netizens.

A congregation of more than 400 Christians came together on Friday to pray for the country. After three years of COVID, this prayer breakfast event is back on, with the attendance of President Tsai Ing-wen.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
COVID has been downgraded in Taiwan, so we can finally join our sisters and brothers from Taiwan and abroad in this prayer breakfast. Praying for our nation and for the world is especially meaningful. The church is a force that supports social stability in Taiwan. With this spirit I also serve our country and ensure peace.

Tsai gave a dedication to Doris Brougham, a U.S. educator and missionary who’s worked in Taiwan for more than 70 years.

Tsai Ing-wen
President
Doris Brougham actually turned down not one but several suitors. You know why she said no? It’s because they would ask her to leave Taiwan with them, and she decided to stay here with us.

President Tsai’s words drew laughs from the audience. Tsai was joined at the event by foreign minister Joseph Wu, who recently received nine messages from internet users threatening to kill his entire family. Security was on high alert.

Liu Yung-chien
Foreign ministry spokesperson
Yesterday, death threats were sent to the minister’s official page. We have presented them to the police. If we have different opinions, we can talk it out. Resorting to violent threats will not be tolerated. I think the police will handle the matter appropriately, be it the security aspect or any relevant procedures.

It’s not the first time that the minister receives death threats. His office says such behavior will not be tolerated, adding that the police was on the case.

2023-05-12

Presidential hopefuls attend Matsu birthday ceremonies in Northern Taiwan

2023-05-12

Scalpers to face fines of up to 50 times ticket price, prison sentences

2023-05-12

US visitor strikes up an unlikely friendship at Penghu International Fireworks Festival

Now we have a heart-warming story of friendship across borders. The Penghu International Fireworks Festival attracts thousands of visitors to the golden beaches of the islands. This year, one U.S. visitor who didn’t speak Chinese, struck up an unlikely friendship at the event. She and taxi driver Wei Jui-fu managed to communicate without a common language. She was able to enjoy a festival in a country that was completely foreign to her, thanks to the patient hospitality of a cab driver committed to making her feel welcome.

A spectacular fireworks display explodes over the sea. Penghu International Fireworks Festival attracts huge crowds to the outlying island. One U.S. traveler filmed this video after her visit, telling the story of her meeting with a Penghu resident.

She explained how she struck up a great friendship with her taxi driver. Although the two didn’t have a shared language, she managed to let him know where she was going by forwarding him the addresses of her destinations.

And this is the cabbie who made such a big impression. Although Wei Jui-fu doesn’t count English in his skillset, he was determined to get his client safely to her destination.

Wei Jui-fu
Taxi driver
She flew halfway round the world to get here. We took more care, because she was a total stranger here and didn’t know anyone, right? We didn’t share a language but we somehow understood each other on a heart level.

Wei explains that thousands of tourists descend on Penghu on each day of the fireworks festival. It can be tricky for a Taiwanese visitor to hail a ride – let alone a tourist from abroad.

Wei Jui-fu
Taxi driver
She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to get a taxi again, so she added me on Line so she could contact me. It’s hard to call a taxi round here.

While the traveler is now back home in the U.S., the two continue to share updates online – in the form of photos from their daily life. This “friendship without words” has left one visitor with the warmest possible memories of the people of Taiwan.

2023-05-12

Fun and relaxation for all the family at New Taipei Riverside Butterfly Festival

2023-05-12

Farm’s cocoa banquet features cocoa pork, cocoa chicken and cinavu

2023-05-12

Lo Ying-yuan wins two golds, one silver at Asian Weightlifting Championships

2023-05-12

Lawmakers establish parliamentary amity association with Somaliland