Your one-stop shop for all of Taiwan’s diplomacy efforts. If there’s been a bilateral meeting, a trade agreement, a cultural exchange or an informal dialogue, this is where you’ll find it
1. U.S.: Secret Navy Drills between the U.S. and Taiwan and pushback on Resolution 2758
The U.S. and Taiwan navies held joint drills in the Pacific in April, according to Reuters. One source explained that the drills were kept unofficial. They said half a dozen navy ships practiced operations such as communications, refueling and resupply.
The U.S. Department of State’s China coordinator and deputy assistant secretary for China and Taiwan, Mark Lambert, said at the end of April that China has been mischaracterizing U.N. Resolution 2758, which states that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is the only lawful representative of China. “Beijing mischaracterizes the resolution by falsely conflating it with China’s one-China principle, and wrongly asserts that it reflects an international consensus for its one-China principle,” Lambert said.
On May 10, the U.S. House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and Chinese Communist Party proposed a bill offering $120 million ($3.8 billion New Taiwan dollars) for the State Department and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to help partners of Taiwan fend off pressure from China.
Taiwan has agreed to the first part of its Initiative on 21st-Century Trade with the U.S. It involves customs and border procedures, regulatory practices, and small business.
2. Japan: Warm Words for the Japan-Republic of China Diet Members’ Consultative Council
On May 9, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) honored Hideo Tarumi, former deputy minister of Japan’s Foreign Minister’s Secretariat, with an award for his contributions to bilateral relations between Japan and Taiwan.
On the same day, at its annual meeting, both President Tsai and president-elect Lai Ching-te (賴清德) thanked the Japan-Republic of China Diet Members’ Consultative Council for “passing annual resolutions in support of Taiwan’s international participation, and for its continued attention for Taiwan’s political and economic development.” They were speaking via video.
On April 30, President Tsai received a delegation from the Youth Division of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. She spoke about expanding cooperation on pursuing peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
3. Europe: More Earthquake Support and Cooperation Over Agriculture With Lithuania
On April 29, the Czech Republic donated $150,000 to earthquake recovery efforts in Taiwan.
Hungarian member of parliament Tompos Marton has said Taiwan is a better strategic partner for Hungary than China. Marton is vice chairman of the main opposition party in Hungary and was speaking as Chinese president Xi Jinping (習近平) visited Hungary.
On May 6, the second agricultural cooperative dialogue between Taiwan and Lithuania took place. Deputy Minister Tu Wen-jane (杜文珍) of Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture met with Lithuanian Vice Minister of Agriculture Vytenis Tomkus and spoke about low carbon farming and plant breeding, as well as other issues.
Co-Director of Taiwan Information Environment Research Center Yu Chih-hao (游知澔) spoke on Czech television about Chinese disinformation warfare at the end of April.
4. India: A Trade Meeting Signaling Enhanced Cooperation and Similar Sentiment From India’s Representative in Taipei
A business delegation from Taiwan has taken part in an online meeting with World Trade Center (WTC) Mumbai and the All India Association of Industries, with a press release stating that Taiwan was “looking seriously to enhance” trade with India. Vijay Kalantri, head of the WTC Mumbai delegation, noted that the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center is planning to set up a third office in India, “which signals its commitment to grow bilateral economic relations.”
On May 8, Director General of the India Taipei Association, Manharsinh Yadav, emphasized in an interview that there is a need to ease mobility of people between India and Taiwan and increase investment between the two sides.
5. Diplomatic Allies: Celebrating the Marshall Islands’ Constitution Day
On May 3, outgoing Foreign Minister Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) attended an event in Taipei to celebrate the Marshall Islands’ Constitution Day. Wu said Taiwan and the Marshall Islands had cooperated over agriculture, capacity building, climate change, food security, infrastructure, public health, talent cultivation and women’s empowerment since becoming allies 23 years ago.
6. Additional Developments: Taiwan’s Tourists Get Thailand Visa Exemptions Extended
Thailand has extended its 30-day visa exemption for Taiwanese travelers to November. The policy, which also applies to travelers from India, first applied in November last year.
For the eighth consecutive year, Taiwan was not invited to the World Health Assembly, the annual assembly of the World Health Organization.
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