Premier Su Tseng-chang noted Thursday that the U.S.-based organization Freedom House continues to list Taiwan as a “free” country, which over the past three years has consistently ranked above such democracies as the U.S. and France. Last year Taiwan was the only country in Asia rated as “open” in People Power Under Attack 2020, a report by CIVICUS, a global alliance of civil society organizations and activists.
Premier Su Tseng-chang traveled to Pingtung County on Sunday to attend a press conference highlighting government support for Taiwan’s pineapple growers. Taiwan’s sweet-tasting pineapples are of the highest quality in the world, he said, and despite China’s ban on pineapple imports from Taiwan, the nation can take this opportunity to expand exports to other countries and develop new sales channels.
A total of 117,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Taiwan and will first be administered to health care workers who have direct contact with COVID-19 patients, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said Wednesday.
The use of lethal force against protesters in Myanmar by security forces was condemned Feb. 28 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Friday published its COVID-19 vaccination priority list, as it prepares to begin a national immunization campaign sometime during March.
The “one person per residence” rule currently applicable to all arrivals in Taiwan since mid-January will be expanded to include those who need to undergo self isolation after having contact with individuals found to have COVID-19, starting March 1, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced Saturday.
Two hospitals and five individuals from Taiwan were honored for outstanding contributions in promoting international medical cooperation Feb. 19 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Cabinet on Thursday approved a draft bill by the Ministry of Science and Technology for new legislation to develop the space industry. The draft bill will now be submitted for the Legislature’s review.
Premier Su Tseng-chang received a Council of Agriculture briefing Thursday on the upgrading of the pork industry and the establishment of a demonstration system for meat cold chains. Since Taiwan opened its market to U.S. pork imports earlier this year, residues of the feed additive ractopamine have not been detected in pork imports from any country, while consumption of domestic pork has increased 6,000 metric tons compared with last year.
The foreign ministry says that Taiwan will have to remove trade barriers and comply with free trade regulations in order to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The CPTPP is a free trade pact led by Japan.
