Headline News
US thanks Taiwan for humanitarian assistance in IS fight
The US State Department expressed its appreciation for the humanitarian assistance rendered by Taiwan as part of the US-led coalition in the campaign against the Islamic State (IS).
“We certainly appreciate those contributions as we appreciate the contributions of all coalition members. I think an important thing to emphasize is that big or small, whatever role any coalition member can play and partner can play, we appreciate it,” said acting State Department spokesman Mark Toner at a press briefing.
Taiwan’s contribution included a donation of 350 temporary housing units for refugees in Iraq and US$100,000 for shelters in that area.
President Tsai Ing-wen said recently that funds were donated in January for the set up of mobile hospitals and that Taiwan will continue offering humanitarian assistance and ready to help clear mines in the aftermath of the fighting.
Concerns about eventual 4th US-China Communique
Foreign Minister David Lee called on the US to refrain from signing a 4th Communique when US President Trump meets with Xi Jinping next month. It would aim for limiting arms sales to Taiwan and would demand the US to comply with the “one-China” principle.
“Signing of a fourth communiqué at the upcoming meeting would be unwise, we hope the US does not regress on its ‘one-China’ policy,” Lee said.
According to Lee, the US replied to the concerns of Taiwan, but the content is unsuitable for publication.
Economy
US$10 billion for green-energy, water infrastructure
The cabinet allocated US$10 billion over the next eight years for the generation of green energy and water conservation.
Construction in the infrastructure for green energy will include solar energy, wind power and the building of a green energy-oriented science-based town in Tainan. The water infrastructure construction will focus on building artificial lakes, river dams and rain channeling underground tunnels, and water management.
Taiwan is to be free of nuclear energy by 2025 and aims for 20% of its power generation to be obtained from green energy by that year compared to the present 5.1 percent in 2016.
Cross-strait trade fell slightly in 2016
Trade between Taiwan and mainland China fell by 0.7% in 2016, according to the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC). Exports from Taiwan to mainland China increased by 0.6 percent to US$73.9 billion while imports fell by 2.8 percent to US$44 billion. Total trade amounted to US$117.9 billion.
The rising cost of doing business in mainland China led to a decline of Taiwan investments to US$9.67 billion in 2016, down 11.8%. Chinese investments in Taiwan, on the other hand, increased by 1.5% to US$247.63 million.
Education
Nine Taiwan universities in top 100 in Asia
Nine Taiwan universities are listed in the top 100 universities in Asia in the just released 2017 ranking by Times Higher Education Magazine.
The National Taiwan University (NTU) ranks the highest among the nine universities from Taiwan at the 24th spot, but still nine notches lower than its ranking at 15th in last year.
The universities were ranked by using 13 indicators in five main categories: Teaching, research, citations, international outlook and industry income.
Tourism
40% Rise in tourists from Southeast Asia
The Trade and Economic Negotiations Office reports that since the launch of the “New Southbound Policy,” which calls for the development of comprehensive relations with ASEAN, South Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the number of tourists increased by
25.83% between August 2016 and January 2017, a record high for the same period over the past five years.
January 2017 registered a 42.8% growth to 68,000 from the same month of last year.
Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines emerged as the five largest sources of visitors to Taiwan.
In the next three years, visa exemptions will be granted to more countries, including Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.
