Month: May 2025

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 07 MAY 2025 5:56PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of Coal and Mines,Shri. G Kishan Reddy today launched a dedicated Non-Ferrous Metal Recycling Website and Stakeholders’ Portal – https://nfmrecycling.jnarddc.gov.in – in the presence of the Minister of State for Coal and Mines, Shri Satish Chandra Dubey and senior officials from the Ministry of Mines and JNARDDC. The initiative aims to promote a structured, transparent, and sustainable recycling ecosystem in India.

Developed under the implementation guidelines of the National Non-Ferrous Metal Scrap Recycling Framework, the platform is designed to bring together key stakeholders, improve data visibility, and support evidence-based policymaking in the recycling of aluminium, copper, lead, zinc, and critical elements.

Speaking at the launch, Union Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy said, “India is committed to building a circular economy that optimally utilises its resources. This portal will not only provide real-time visibility into the recycling landscape but also empower all stakeholders to make informed decisions, bridge gaps, and unlock the full potential of our non-ferrous metal sector.”

The Minister of State Shri Satish Chandra Dubey lauded the initiative, stating that “this portal is a much-needed step in strengthening the recycling value chain and enhancing industry participation through transparency and data-driven policy support.”

The website will act as a national hub for information dissemination, awareness generation, and engagement with recyclers, dismantlers, aggregators, industry associations, and research institutions. It highlights government initiatives, provides updates on stakeholder meetings and policy developments, and offers access to national statistics, standards, and infrastructure-related achievements.

The integrated portal also enables registration of industry participants and collection of crucial data on raw material consumption, recycling capacity, technology usage, and workforce trends—supporting future interventions in R&D, infrastructure development, and skill enhancement.

Key Features Include:

• National registry for dismantlers, recyclers, traders, and collection centres
• Tools to track raw material flows, product types, technology adoption, and workforce data
• Performance benchmarking mechanisms
• Identification of regional and sectoral infrastructure and skill gaps
• Support for development of standards, certification systems, and awareness campaigns

This initiative marks a major step toward strengthening India’s non-ferrous metal recycling ecosystem and aligns with the national vision of circular economy, sustainability, and resource efficiency.

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Shuhaib T

(Release ID: 2127564) Visitor Counter : 53

Source: Government of India

Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, invites suggestions from experts/public on Draft Framework of ‘India’s Climate Finance Taxonomy by 25th June 2025

India’s climate finance taxonomy will facilitate greater resource flow to climate-friendly technologies and activities, enabling India to achieve the vision of being Net Zero by 2070 while ensuring long-term access to reliable and affordable energy

Posted On: 07 MAY 2025 5:53PM by PIB Delhi

In pursuance of the Union Budget 2024-25 announcement (Paragraph 104 of the budget speech) to develop India’s Climate Finance Taxonomy, the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, invites expert/public comments (format below) on the Draft framework. (CLICK HERE TO ACCESS — DRAFT FRAMEWORK OF INDIA’S CLIMATE FINANCE TAXONOMY)

The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs announced in the Union Budget 2025-26:

“We will develop a taxonomy for climate finance for enhancing the availability of capital for climate adaptation and mitigation. This will support achievement of the country’s climate commitments and green transition”

A Draft Framework of the Climate Finance Taxonomy has been developed pursuant to this announcement. This framework outlines the approach, objectives, and principles that will guide the taxonomy. It also details the methodology for classifying activities, projects, and measures that contribute to India’s climate commitments, while also taking into account goals associated with achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047.

The draft framework will be the basis for developing sectoral annexures. The sectoral annexes will outline the measures, activities, and projects considered climate-supportive, and those identified for promoting the transition.

India’s climate finance taxonomy aims to facilitate greater resource flow to climate-friendly technologies and activities, enabling the country to achieve the vision of being Net Zero by 2070 while also ensuring long-term access to reliable and affordable energy. The Climate Finance Taxonomy will serve as a tool to identify activities consistent with a country’s climate action goals and transition pathway.

Comments may be emailed to aditi.pathak[at]gov[dot]in by 25th June 2025 with the Subject “Comments on the Draft Framework for the Taxonomy”.

The comments received through public consultation will be duly considered and examined, following which the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, will release the Framework of India’s Climate Finance Taxonomy.

Format in which the information/comments may be provided:

Name of organisation/person:
Contact details:
Category/Description of person giving comments:
S. No.	Para / Sub Para no	Comments	Rationale

 

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NB/KMN

(Release ID: 2127562) Visitor Counter : 78

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Government welcomed the passage of the Stamp Duty (Amendment) Bill 2025 by the Legislative Council today, which implements the adjustment of the maximum value of properties chargeable to the $100 stamp duty from $3 million to $4 million.

 

Proposed in the 2025-26 Budget, the adjustment aims to ease the burden on buyers of properties at lower values.

     

Based on the 2024-25 property transaction data, the Government said it estimates that the measure will benefit about 15% of property transactions, with government revenue reduced by about $400 million annually.

     

The legislation as passed will be published in the Government Gazette on May 16.

 

The relevant adjustment, which took effect at 11am on February 26 this year under the Public Revenue Protection (Stamp Duty) Order 2025 gazetted on the same day, applies to instruments executed on or after February 26, 2025.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to Chinese Foreign Ministry affirming Somalia’s entry ban on Taiwan nationals

Date：2025-05-01
Data Source：Department of West Asian and African Affairs

May 1, 2025  

In response to a question from Reuters on April 30, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it highly commended Somalia for having banned the entry of Taiwan nationals. The comments from the Chinese ministry clearly show that the Somalian government’s extremely unfriendly action against Taiwan was instigated by China.
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) once again strongly condemns the Chinese authorities and demands that they immediately stop suppressing the Taiwanese people’s freedom of travel and deliberately misrepresenting United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758. This egregious behavior of the Chinese and Somalian governments that ignores people’s freedom and safety of travel can do nothing but undermine international peace and cause more instability around the world.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA congratulates Friedrich Merz on appointment as German chancellor and formation of new government

Date：2025-05-07
Data Source：Department of European Affairs

May 7, 2025  
No. 142  

The Bundestag officially elected Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) as the new federal chancellor of Germany in a vote on May 6. The new government of Germany was formed by a coalition comprising the CDU/Christian Social Union faction and the Social Democratic Party of Germany. The new cabinet was sworn in on the same day. 
 
On behalf of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends sincere congratulations to the people and government of Germany. It has also instructed the Taipei Representative Office in Germany to promptly forward a congratulatory letter from President Lai Ching-te conveying expectations for even closer and more cordial relations between Taiwan and Germany. 
 
In the new government’s coalition agreement, the chapter on foreign relations, national defense policy, development cooperation, and human rights states that Germany will continue to foster relations with Taiwan and reiterates that any change to the status quo regarding Taiwan must be carried out in a peaceful manner. It further maintains that a free, stable, and secure Indo-Pacific is in Germany’s fundamental interests. Such content underlines the new German government’s high regard for Taiwan-Germany relations and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
 
Taiwan and Germany share the core values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Taiwan looks forward to building on the existing solid foundation to steadily deepen comprehensive collaboration with the new German government and to jointly advance peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to US House of Representatives passing Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act and Taiwan International Solidarity Act

Date：2025-05-06
Data Source：Department of North American Affairs

May 6, 2025 

On May 5, the US House of Representatives adopted two acts supportive of Taiwan. The Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act and the Taiwan International Solidarity Act were passed on voice votes without opposition. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung sincerely welcomes this development and thanks the US Congress for continuing to demonstrate bipartisan support for Taiwan through concrete legislation.
 
The Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act requires the US secretary of state to conduct periodic reviews of guidelines on relations with Taiwan, including any successor or related documents. It stipulates that reviews should be conducted at least once every five years and that a report should be submitted to Congress within 90 days after completing a review.
 
The Taiwan International Solidarity Act explicitly states that United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758 did not address the issue of representation of Taiwan and its people in the UN or related organizations. It also points out that the resolution did not take a position on the relationship between China and Taiwan or include any statement pertaining to Taiwan’s sovereignty. The act reaffirms US opposition to any initiative that seeks to change Taiwan’s status without the consent of the Taiwanese people. It calls on the US government to instruct its representatives in international organizations to advocate to resist China’s efforts to distort the decisions, language, policies, or procedures of the organizations regarding Taiwan. The act also urges the US government to appropriately encourage its allies and partners to oppose China’s efforts to undermine Taiwan’s official diplomatic relationships and its partnerships with countries with which it does not maintain diplomatic relations.
 
The passage of the pro-Taiwan legislation by the US Congress follows the US administration strongly condemning China at a recent UN Security Council meeting for misusing UNGA Resolution 2758 to try to isolate Taiwan. Minister Lin sincerely thanks the US administration and both sides of the congressional aisle for their support of Taiwan and calls on the international community to continue to take concrete actions against China’s mischaracterization of UNGA Resolution 2758. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will closely follow developments relating to the acts, maintain close contact with the US Congress and administration, and pragmatically and steadily deepen the cordial partnership between Taiwan and the United States.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Foreign Minister Lin leads cross-sector delegation to US state of Texas

Date：2025-05-06
Data Source：Department of North American Affairs

May 6, 2025  
No. 140  

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung on May 6 is traveling to the US state of Texas, leading a delegation representing industry, government, academia, and research institutes. The delegation includes representatives of the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association, the AI Innovation and Application Alliance, and Taiwan’s Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association. Minister Lin will attend and address the Texas-Taiwan AI and Innovation Summit on May 9.
 
Since taking office, Minister Lin has actively advocated a policy of integrated diplomacy. His visit to Texas aims primarily to promote a Taiwan investment team for the United States and a US investment team for Taiwan as part of a roadmap introduced by President Lai Ching-te to deepen bilateral trade relations. This will facilitate the formation of a joint Taiwan-US economic task force that applies a new model for the division of labor, helping Taiwanese businesses expand into the US market and employ local technology, capital, and human resources to integrate into the US innovation ecosystem. It is further hoped that exchanges of views among frontline industry, government, academia, and research institutes will lead to an increase in bilateral investments, attract US companies to invest in Taiwan, and contribute to Taiwan’s industrial innovation and development.
 
Minister Lin’s visit is expected to steadily deepen exchanges between Taiwan and US states. Since President Lai assumed office, six US state governors, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, have led delegations to Taiwan. Their concrete actions to support bilateral collaboration have enhanced Taiwan-US economic and trade exchanges and created substantive business opportunities. In recent years, the US federal government has issued three letters encouraging US states and the top 500 US businesses to foster relations with Taiwan, explicitly showing support for strengthening exchanges with Taiwan at all levels and across all areas. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs anticipates that the visit to Texas by Minister Lin and the industrial groups will further deepen reciprocal and mutually beneficial partnerships across various economic domains between Taiwan and the United States and Texas. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA congratulates Australia on successful completion of federal election

Date：2025-05-04
Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

May 4, 2025No.136Australia held a federal election on May 3 to elect its 48th Parliament, including all 150 seats of the House of Representatives and 40 of the 76 seats in the Senate. According to the results, the ruling Australian Labor Party won a majority of seats. The smooth and peaceful election process was characteristic of a mature democracy. On behalf of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses sincere congratulations to the people and government of Australia.Taiwan and Australia share the universal values of democracy, freedom, the rule of law, and human rights. Bilateral relations have continued to steadily grow in recent years. Collaboration is close in such fields as economics and trade, science and technology, information security, energy, and whole-of-society defense resilience. Last August, the Australian Senate passed an urgency motion refuting China’s flagrant misrepresentation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758. The passage of the motion underlined the staunch cross-party support for Taiwan in the Australian Parliament.Building on these robust foundations, the government of Taiwan hopes to further enhance cooperation in all domains with the new government of Australia and jointly work to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

ROC (Taiwan) government congratulates Singapore on successful completion of general election

Date：2025-05-04
Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

May 4, 2025No. 134Singapore smoothly completed the election of its 15th Parliament on May 4. The result was a victory for Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and the People’s Action Party that he leads. On behalf of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its sincere congratulations to the people and government of Singapore on the successful conclusion of yet another parliamentary election.Taiwan and Singapore have long shared cordial ties. Bilateral cooperation has developed steadily in recent years, with the two sides maintaining close exchanges in economics, trade, semiconductors, technology, culture, and other domains. Taiwan looks forward to building on the existing foundations to further deepen collaboration with Singapore, jointly respond to global and regional challenges, and contribute to the advancement of peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific. (E) 
 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Stanley Li and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (May 7):

Question: