Saint Lucia has established diplomatic ties with Taiwan
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced May 1 that the Republic of China had re-established formal ties with Saint Lucia.
Vice Foreign Minister Yang Tzu-po stated at a press conference in Taipei that the governments of Taiwan and Saint Lucia, wishing to strengthen the friendship based on equality and reciprocity, had decided to resume full diplomatic relations.
On behalf of the two governments, James Huang, ROC minister of foreign affairs, and Rufus Bousquet, Saint Lucia's minister for external affairs, international financial services, information and broadcasting, signed a joint communique on the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in Castries, the Saint Lucian capital, April 30, Yang said, adding that Taiwan established its embassy in Saint Lucia that same afternoon.
Speaking by telephone to the press conference, Huang said the re-establishment of diplomatic relations proved Taiwan's name was respected in the international community, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported May 1.
Huang related that Saint Lucia had passed a resolution to resume diplomatic relations with Taiwan at a Cabinet meeting April 26, at which the Caribbean nation also authorized its external affairs minister to coordinate with Taiwan on signing a joint communique. Huang led a delegation to Saint Lucia April 29 after receiving an invitation from Bousquet, he added.
At no point during the consultation process did Taiwan ask Saint Lucia to sever its ties with China, Huang said. "Taiwan has no intention of engaging in zero-sum games with China on the diplomatic front," he explained, adding that Taiwan hoped for a win-win-win situation for Taiwan, Saint Lucia and China.
In a statement released May 1, MOFA indicated that restoring diplomatic ties between the two countries had received the full support of Saint Lucian Prime Minister John George Melvin Compton, as well as of all members of the country's Cabinet. Saint Lucia first established diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1984 under Compton's earlier premiership.
Chen makes last-minute appeal for Taiwan's WHO membership
In a videoconference May 11, ROC President Chen Shui-bian stressed that only when the World Health Organization closes the gap in the global disease prevention network by accepting Taiwan as a member can the health and lives of Taiwan's 23 million people and citizens of all WHO member states be fully protected.
Chen's contribution to the press conference, titled "Give Taiwan a Seat in the WHO," was filmed inside the Office of the President in Taipei and broadcast live to international journalists stationed in Geneva and others in Taiwan.
Citing statistics released by the WHO, Chen said that, by the end of March, 230 human cases of the H5N1 virus had been confirmed in six countries: China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Of these, 144 had been fatal, indicating a mortality rate of about 62 percent, Chen added.
Chen said that, being geographically close to these six countries, Taiwan had frequent exchanges and interactions with them. This included 1,183 flights between Taiwan and these countries every week. Moreover, with the Taipei Flight Information Region covering 13 major international air routes, nearly 200,000 flights arrived at or departed from Taiwan annually, with up to 25 million international and domestic passengers entering or exiting Taiwan, he said. These statistics showed that, should an epidemic break out in Taiwan, it could spread rapidly around the world and represent a severe threat to the planet's health and safety.
In order to prevent such a situation from arising, Taiwan needed to comprehensively and effectively participate in international public health networks and collaborate closely with other nations, Chen suggested.
Chen's opening remarks were followed by a Q&A session, in which Jean-Paul Hoareau de Montrose of the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle asked from Geneva whether Chen thought Taiwan had not yet contributed sufficient aid to poor people around the world.
Chen responded that, in addition to dispatching medical teams and assisting countries lacking medical resources, Taiwan's government and private sectors had provided health, medical and emergency humanitarian aid worth, according to conservative estimates, more than US$450 million over the last 10 years. Chen added that Taiwan would do more and try to make the world aware of its contributions to world disease prevention systems.
Ralph Jennings, Reuters Taipei correspondent, asked what new measures Taiwan would take in the future should the World Health Assembly, which would convene its 60th session May 14 to 23, reject Taiwan's bid for participation.
Mentioning that, in a May 9 article, The Economist was the first major publication to declare support for Taiwan's WHO bid, Chen replied that Taiwan would continue its efforts and hope to gain attention from the international community.
Three days later, on May 14, the WHA turned down Taiwan's first attempt to become a full WHO member using the name "Taiwan." During the second plenary meeting held in the afternoon, the WHA approved--by a vote of 148 to 17--a recommendation by its general committee to strike discussion of Taiwan's membership off the annual meeting's agenda.
Minister of Health Hou Sheng-mou, who was in Geneva to promote Taiwan's WHO bid campaign, acknowledged that Taiwan's attempt to become a full WHO member had failed, the Chinese-language China Times reported May 15. Nevertheless, he noted that important countries such as the United States and Japan, as well as the European Union, had expressed strong support for Taiwan's participation in the WHA as an observer and urged the world to pay attention to Taiwan's right to participate in international health affairs. "The world has not lessened its support for Taiwan," Hou added.
One example of support was a May 11 letter to the WHO from Mike Leavitt, U.S. secretary of health and human services, Taiwan's Central News Agency quoted Joseph Wu, Taiwan's representative to the United States, as saying May 12. Addressed to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, Leavitt's message urged the WHO to allow Taiwan to participate in technical-level meetings under the framework of the International Health Regulations and join the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network, Wu said during a gathering with Chinese-language media in Washington, D.C.
Taiwan rejects 'domestic' Olympic torch route
Taiwan rejected April 26 China's offer to include its capital city Taipei in the Olympic torch relay route for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, saying that Beijing's proposed route attempted to undermine Taiwan's sovereign status.
Almost two hours after the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games unveiled the torch relay route in Beijing on the evening of April 26, the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee and the Cabinet-level National Council on Physical Fitness and Sports held a news conference in Taipei to explain Taiwan's position.
According to the BOCOG's plan, the Olympic torch would travel to Taipei from Vietnam, and continue to Hong Kong, Macau and other cities in China before arriving in the host city.
CTOC President Thomas W. Tsai said the arrangement that included Taiwan in China's domestic part of the relay had been decided by BOCOG President Liu Qi as long ago as March 2005 without regard to the CTOC proposal that the torch enter Taiwan from one third country and depart to another third country.
A March 16, 2005 report by Hong Kong's Mingpao quoted Liu as saying that "the domestic leg of the 2008 Olympic Torch relay should include Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau," according to an attachment to a news release by the CTOC April 26.
Tsai said China would publicize the transfer of the torch from Taiwan to Hong Kong as being from "Taipei, China" to "Hong Kong, China" which represented the PRC's attempt to engineer a route that included "Chinese Taipei"--Taiwan's official Olympic title--in China's domestic itinerary. This obviously undermined Taiwan's sovereign status, he said, adding, "We therefore take this opportunity to declare our rejection of the relay route arrangement to the International Olympic Committee and BOCOG."
Taiwan's Central News Agency reported April 27 that four legislators from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party stated in a joint news conference that they opposed China's attempt to belittle Taiwan using the torch relay route.
Taipei City Mayor Hau Lung-bin, also of the Kuomintang, was quoted in an April 27 CNA report as saying he thought the torch's passage through Taiwan was a rare opportunity for Taiwan to get exposure on the international stage.
Hugues Mignot is one of the few tour guides at the National Palace Museum who speaks four languages. This serves him well when dealing with visitors who came from all over the world to see the museum's vast collection of Chinese art. Mignot was a director of the Belgium Office in Taipei before retiring in September 2006. A career diplomat, Mignot studied Han Chinese culture as a hobby as well as for his work. His role as a volunteer guide at NPM gives him the chance to indulge his passion.
When the Kuomintang moved to Taiwan in 1949, they brought with them many of the finest works of art from the Forbidden City, artifacts that might not have survived had they stayed in China. During the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, then Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong led his party in opposing the country's cultural heritage. In the process, they destroyed countless antiques signifying old traditions.
NPM's collection of more than 650,000 pieces--sculptures, rare books and paintings--have survived for centuries. Although Mignot enjoyed his time in NPM, he admitted, "I hoped that the museum would be bigger." There was so much art at NPM that he wished it could all be on display all the time.
From January 2006, NPM has "exhibited fewer items, but a lot more explanation," mainly to emphasize the educational aspect of the museum, according to Lin Ming-mei, head of the Education and Exhibition Department. "Eventually, we would like to see our guides regarded as educators or curators," said Lin, who previously worked at the Shihsanhang Museum of Archaeology and helped found the volunteer program there.
"The volunteers here are very different," Lin claimed. "They enjoy attending all the courses we have provided to enhance their knowledge. They are a serious bunch when it comes to studying." More than 2 million people visited the National Palace Museum in 2006, yet only 300 volunteers were chosen to help visitors discover the treasures collected by the Ching court, Lin said.
Wang Shu-chen was one applicant who succeeded in becoming a guide. She was born in 1947 and grew up first in Keelung City and later in Taipei City. After graduating from the history department at Fu Jen Catholic University, Wang worked at Fuhe Junior High School and Yonghe Junior High School as a history teacher. She retired from teaching in 1998. Many of the volunteers had worked for the government or in schools, like Wang.
Her inspiration to join the volunteer program at NPM came about unexpectedly. "One day, my daughter came home and excitedly told me all about her trip to the museum and how wonderful the guide was at telling her everything about the artistic pieces displayed at the museum," Wang recalled. "Then I thought: 'I've been teaching history for so long and I've never seen such enthusiasm in a student,'" she said. Wang thought that everything she did to enter the volunteer program at NPM--the long waiting period, interviews, tests and on-site apprenticeship--was invaluable. "It opened up a new chapter in my life after retirement," Wang said.
For Planet Earth's sake, include Taiwan in FCCC
Government offices and schools in Taipei turned off their lights for an hour at noon April 20 as a reminder of the global warming crisis. This also helped to reduce electricity consumption and save several metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
GHG emissions have been a U.N. focus of recent years. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was adopted in 1994, and the Kyoto Protocol, an international and legally binding agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, accomplished at the UNFCCC Conference of Parties 3, entered into effect Feb. 16, 2005.
Excluded from the UNFCCC as it is not a U.N. member, Taiwan could not become a Kyoto Protocol signatory. It has no obligation to implement the environmental treaty, therefore, but it was among the first to make positive responsive actions in relation to the protocol. Taiwan has demonstrated its willingness to accept its share of responsibility and tried hard to synchronize its steps to deal with GHG emissions in line with those of the international community.
Taiwan's environmental groups, scholars and officials have warned the public that, due to its high industrialization and population density, Taiwan was the world's 22nd-largest producer of carbon dioxide, emitting about 1 percent of all GHG emissions worldwide. They have also been pushing for green power, green lifestyles and vigorous enforcement of recycling throughout the country.
Even before the United States or Australia has committed to the Kyoto Protocol, Taiwan's government submitted a bill Sept. 20, 2006, providing legal basis for efforts to reduce GHG emissions. The draft tasks the Environmental Protection Administration with drawing up a general reduction strategy and coordinating implementation, including establishing emission quotas, setting up a gas-trading platform, regulating new emission sources and instituting monitoring, accounting and reporting systems.
The issue of Taiwan's participation must be addressed, if only because it is one of the major CO2 emitters. Taiwan should be invited to participate in international climate change negotiations and implementation mechanisms. Keeping GHG emissions agreements fair relies on using democratic procedures to reach consensus. With loose ends and missing links, a fair global climate policy and its implementation cannot be realized.
Taiwan Journal sent staff writer Allen Hsu on a special assignment to Copenhagen April 13 to 22 to cover stories about relations between Taiwan and Denmark. The first in a series, this article gives an overview of the two countries' collaboration in producing wind energy.
Over the past year, sustainable energy has jumped to the top of the international agenda, as it has been shown that excessive carbon dioxide emissions contribute to global warming. Governments are preserving the environment by pursuing sustainable energy programs, which also reduces their dependence on oil and gas from politically unstable countries. The 27 European Union heads of state unanimously agreed to sign on to a package of energy measures at a summit in Brussels March 7 to 9. The agreement required E.U. member states to ensure that by 2020, at least 20 percent of their energy would be produced by sustainable sources, such as wind turbines, hydropower and solar cells.
As the importance of sustainable energy grows, many countries in the world have been devoted to developing renewable power supplies. Denmark, the smallest and southernmost of the Nordic nations at approximately 43,000 square kilometers, and Taiwan, the East Asian nation of about 36,000 square kilometers, are two examples of countries contributing to the so-called green energy movement.
Among all sources of renewable energy, "wind in particular has an important role to play in relation to the objective of halving CO2 emissions in relation to the 1990 levels," Hans Brodersen, a member of the Danish Society of Engineers, was quoted as saying in the March 20 issue of Win[d] magazine published by Vestas.
On the other side of the world, Taiwan started researching and developing wind power in 1980, according to an April 16 press release from the Bureau of Energy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs. In 2000, the MOEA launched the "Incentive Program of Wind Power Demonstration System" to promote renewable energy. Under this program, turbines have been built in Yunlin, Penghu and Hsinchu Counties. Altogether, they generated 8,540 kilowatts per year.
To carry out the program further, the state-run Taiwan Power Co., the sole electric utility in the nation, set a target in 2002 of establishing 200 wind turbines with a total capacity of 300 megawatts within 10 years, according to an April 26 e-mail interview with Taipower. "Viewing wind power as a significant green energy and greatly helpful to the reduction of CO2 emissions, the government has spent much time and money in developing it," Taipower stated.
In 2005, Taipower imported 23 sets of wind turbines from Vestas and installed them in central Taiwan's Changhua Coastal Industrial Park, according to a March 23 press release from the Taipei Representative Office in Denmark. Taipower sent technicians to Vestas to gain a fundamental understanding of how turbines operated and further training in maintenance, Taipower explained. Meanwhile, Vestas was responsible for constructing the machines and providing technical assistance to Taipower. "Each turbine, though looking the same in appearance, is unique, because each turbine has to be specifically modified to match the distinct features of each site," said Kruse. Vestas' 23 units represent 22 percent of Taiwan's 103 turbines nationwide, according to the BOE.
Taiwan's western coast is most appropriate for wind energy, so Taipower has decided to invest US$122 million on another five wind turbines to be built between 2007 and 2010, Taipower stated. In addition to Vestas, Taipower also installed wind turbines manufactured by Germany-based Enercon GmbH, General Electric Co. of the United States and Spain's Gamesa Corp.
Due to Taiwan's shortage of space, Taipower has a long-term plan to build 546 offshore turbines spread in shallow waters and outlying islands near the western counties of Changhua and Yunlin from 2010 to 2020, according to Taipower officials. In addition to Taipower, two other domestic companies also have wind-power facilities: Formosa Heavy Industries Corp. and Cheng Loong Corp.
The market for wind energy looks promising. "Demand still exceeds supply now," Kruse said, stressing that the dream of a future without fossil fuels or nuclear power was still possible.
ROC, Honduras, El Salvador sign trilateral FTA
Taiwan, El Salvador and Honduras signed a trilateral free trade agreement in San Salvador May 7. Taiwan's fourth such agreement with Central American countries, the FTA was expected to boost trade among the three countries, ROC Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Ruey-long said in a May 5 report by Taiwan's Central News Agency.
Government representatives signing the FTA were Chen, Salvadoran Minister of Economy Yolanda Mayora de Gavidia, and Honduran Minister of Industry and Commerce Elizabeth Azcona Bocock, a May 8 MOEA press release stated. Honduran President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales and Salvadoran President Elias Antonio Saca Gonzalez attended the signing ceremony as honorable guests.
The FTA, which was concluded after four rounds of negotiations starting May 2006, will reduce or exempt tariffs on goods traded among the three countries. Under the agreement, scheduled to go into effect as early as January 2008, 3,590 items exported from Taiwan to El Salvador and 3,881 items to Honduras would be tariff-free, figures that represent 57.1 percent and 61.9 percent of all goods exported to the two countries. Most of these items were agricultural and industrial products, the press release stated. In return, Taiwan would abolish custom duties for 5,688 items imported from El Salvador and 6,135 items from Honduras, representing 64.4 percent and 69.4 percent of their imported goods.
The MOEA explained that the trilateral FTA would be advantageous to the three countries' agricultural, industrial, financial and telecommunications sectors. The ministry believed it would be especially beneficial to Taiwan's export of agricultural products and processed agricultural products, the CNA reported, with market niches in sardines, medicinal herbs, mushrooms, peanut powder and instant noodles. Manufactured goods, such as sports equipment, electronic products and components, and rubber goods, would also see increased exports, the CNA indicated.
Taiwan signed FTAs with Panama, Guatemala and Nicaragua over the past four years, and launched the first round of FTA negotiation with the Dominican Republic in October 2006. After the Taiwan-Panama FTA went into effect in January 2004, bilateral trade grew by 112 percent in 2004 and 96 percent in 2005, the MOEA Web site stated.
In related news, five members of the U.S. House of Representatives jointly proposed a resolution May 1 in support of signing a U.S.-Taiwan FTA, Stanley Kao, deputy representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, said in another May 5 CNA report. Although this was the third such resolution proposed in the House, it was the first to be endorsed by a pro-Taiwan alliance, the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, which included caucus chairpersons from both major parties, Kao said. He added that timing was ideal as the Bush administration had just completed FTA talks with South Korea, and the impact of the U.S.-South Korea FTA on Taiwan's international trade was a matter of public concern.
Taiwan passes APEC peer review
One of the important responsibilities of Taiwan, as a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, is to make progress toward achievement of the forum's free trade and investment goals. These objectives were formalized as the Bogor Goals at the November 1994 meeting of APEC economic leaders to chart the future course of economic cooperation in the region. The goals set target dates for the achievement of free and open trade and investment of 2010 for industrialized economies and 2020 for developing economies.
Part of the mechanism to move toward these objectives are the Independent Action Plans by individual member economies to establish their own policies and procedures. These are updated annually to take account of new developments. IAPs include a comprehensive package of reforms and trade facilitation measures.
Each year, several APEC member economies volunteer to have their IAPs evaluated under a process known as Peer Reviews. Experts conduct independent in-country research and analysis, and the APEC Business Advisory Council, an independent private-sector body, also plays a role.
In accordance with approved terms of reference, the reviews focus on specific issue areas in an economy's IAP in which progress and best practice toward the achievement of the Bogor Goals are considered. Five APEC member economies--Australia, Hong Kong, China, Japan and Chinese Taipei--had their IAPs reviewed in Canberra in January.
Following the Chinese Taipei peer review, an independent report on Taiwan's progress toward its achievement of APEC's free trade and investment goals was released. The report was prepared by Junsok Yang, associate professor in economics at the Catholic University of Korea, and Gloria Pasadilla, research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies. They confirmed that, since its previous review in 2004, Taiwan had made significant improvements in almost all areas set out in its IAP and described it as "one of the most successful developing economies in the 20th century."
In the at the end of the review, the moderator highlighted Taiwan's implementation of working programs for long-term economic development. Specific reference was made to the six-year Challenge 2008 National Development Plan and action plans to develop 12 categories of service industries. These included financial, telecommunication, research and development, and information services. However, in summarizing the report, the peer review moderator cautioned that, even though there were notable advances in most areas, in order to target its economy toward the Bogor Goals, Taiwan should not overlook other areas. Attention was drawn toward continuing high ad valorem and specific tariffs, including tariff rate quotas--a method of limiting imports under which those below a certain quota face lower tariffs than those above--in the agricultural and fisheries sectors, and potential problems in transparency with regard to customs procedures.
According to Pasadilla, the achievements of some economies can nudge others to improve their performances to keep up with their peers. It is clear from the recent peer review that Taiwan is taking very seriously its responsibilities as a member of the APEC forum and certainly setting an example for many of its regional partners.
For the run-of-the-mill twentysomething, Taiwan would probably never spring to mind as a destination to trek through emerald forests, pad along white-sand beaches, or climb snow-capped mountains. In an effort to help young explorers from abroad experience the relatively unknown wealth of tourist treasures Taiwan offers, the National Youth Commission initiated a program in 2006 called Youth Travel in Taiwan.
Now entering its second year, the Youth Travel in Taiwan program provides those between the ages of 15 and 30 with opportunities to explore Taiwan on the constraints of a limited budget. "Youth travelers are different from the people in your usual tour group," explained director of the NYC's Youth Travel Department Wang Yu-chun March 1. "They usually don't have very much money."
Young travelers, Wang said, consisted of three groups: "There are those who travel abroad to study language, those who want to gain work experience, and those we commonly refer to as 'backpackers.'" Together, they created "a niche market," and, to tap into this market, the NYC developed a number of initiatives available to both domestic and international visitors of qualifying age, one of which is the Youth Travel Card.
According to the Youth Travel Taiwan Web site, the main perk of the YTC is discounts, not only for accommodation at various locations across the island, but also in restaurants, retail outlets and museums, on public transport and even for Chinese lessons.
According to Wang, the YTC can be used at 200 locations across Taiwan, with 100 more listings to be added by the end of this year. To obtain a card, applicants need only photographic I.D. to verify their age. Applications are available online, upon arrival in Taiwan at Taoyuan International Airport, or at any one of the five youth hubs or information centers for young travelers located across the country.
In addition to the YTC, young travelers can also receive special deals on train tickets with a Taiwan Rail Pass. "They can purchase an unlimited rail pass for approximately US$33, which lasts for 10 days," said Wang. "There are also passes for 20 or 30 days. With these passes, travelers can ride on any train in Taiwan--with the exception of the new high-speed rail--as many times as they want for the number of days the pass is purchased."
"It's like a cultural exchange," Hung continued. "Foreigners get to find out things they didn't know before and see that Taiwan is very special, while we develop a new understanding of Taiwan's history."
For the more intrepid traveler, Youth Travel in Taiwan also offers opportunities to live in aboriginal villages, visit organic farms, or participate in ecological tours in some of Taiwan's more remote locations. "For these tours, we collaborate with nonprofit organizations," Wang said.
The NPO-affiliated programs being offered by Youth Travel range from three to five days and can cost anywhere from US$15 to US$150. The NYC collaborated with NPOs as diverse as the Taiwan Cetacean Society, the Taipei City Rukai Cultural Development Society and the Taiwan Ecotourism Association to develop programs aimed at creating a deeper understanding of Taiwan. "Unlike the normal tourist, who has a tour guide and will usually only stop briefly at certain landmarks, youth travelers like to make new friends and interact with local people," Wang explained.
For 2007, the NYC decided to focus Youth Travel in Taiwan on attracting young people from Asia. "This year we will have a lot of activities that specifically target people from Japan," said Wang, "because tourists from Japan make up the largest percentage of people who come to Taiwan."