ENHANCING TIES:The policy, first adopted by former president Lee Teng-hui, is an effective tool that allows heads of state to exchange opinions face-to-face, MOFA said
Taipei Times
Date: May 26, 2016
By: Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) plans to push “head of state diplomacy” as its
Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee yesterday takes part in a question-and-answer session at a meeting of the Foreign and National Defense Committee at the legislature in Taipei. Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
central policy, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lee (李大維) said yesterday, while confirming that the ministry is in the midst of planning for President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) visit to two diplomatic allies in Latin America and the Caribbean next month.
The ministry plans to promote cooperation between Taiwan and its diplomatic allies, and push for increased exchanges between heads of state, the effects of which can be seen in the number of foreign leaders and high-level officials who attended Tsai’s inauguration ceremony, the ministry said in a report presented to the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee yesterday.
The ministry will advise the president to visit each of the nation’s diplomatic allies at an opportune time, the report said.
“The head of state diplomacy approach began under former president Lee Teng-hui’s (李登輝) administration. It is an effective tool because it allows the leaders of two countries to exchange opinions face-to-face,” Lee told reporters before the legislative meeting.
During the meeting, New Power Party Legislator Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) asked Lee about the ministry’s plans and strategy, and whether Tsai is to make a state visit next month. [FULL STORY]
