Month: January 2026

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Foreign Minister Lin meets with delegation led by member of Japanese House of Representatives and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato

Date：2026-01-15
Data Source：TAIWAN-JAPAN RELATIONS ASSOCIATION

January 15, 2026  
No. 016  

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung on January 15 met with member of the Japanese House of Representatives and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato. The delegation also included Representative Kosaburo Nishime, who formerly served as minister of reconstruction, and Representative Junji Fukuhara. The two sides engaged in exchanges on such issues as the regional situation, economic security and resilience, and Taiwan-Japan interactions.
 
In his remarks during the meeting, Minister Lin began by welcoming Representative Kato and the delegation. Thanking Mr. Kato for helping facilitate Japan’s donation of vaccines to Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic during his tenure as chief cabinet secretary, Minister Lin said that the Taiwanese people remained deeply grateful for this gesture. He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the government of Japan for having emphasized the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at key international forums on numerous occasions.
 
Minister Lin went on to state that he looked forward to Taiwan and Japan signing a free trade agreement and economic partnership agreement at the earliest possible juncture, as well as Japan assisting in Taiwan’s timely accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which he said would deepen the two countries’ economic partnership and help them jointly advance regional prosperity. Adding that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s focus on the growth of 17 strategic sectors enjoyed many similarities with President Lai Ching-te’s Five Trusted Industry Sectors, he said he hoped that Taiwan and Japan would continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges in related fields.
 
During his remarks, Representative Kato observed that Taiwan and Japan were important partners that shared universal values. Noting that true friendship is demonstrated in times of adversity, Mr. Kato thanked Taiwan for its assistance following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes and for providing Japan with medical masks, pulse oximeters, oxygen concentrators, and other medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that he had been delighted to learn that more than six million visits had been made to Japan by Taiwanese travelers in 2024 and that this number had risen further by 10 percent in 2025. He said he believed that personal and economic exchanges between Taiwan and Japan would grow even closer moving forward.
 
This is Representative Kato’s first visit to Taiwan. Mr. Kato is an influential figure who has long occupied a central role in Japanese politics. In addition to previously serving as chief cabinet secretary under Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, he has also held such posts as minister of health, labour and welfare and minister of finance. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Foreign Minister Lin hosts luncheon to welcome Canadian parliamentary delegation

Date：2026-01-14
Data Source：Department of North American Affairs

January 14, 2026  
No. 014  

On behalf of the government, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a luncheon on January 13 to warmly welcome a five-member delegation of Canadian parliamentarians. During the luncheon, the two sides exchanged views on regional developments and the deepening of bilateral economic and trade exchanges and various forms of cooperation.
 
In his remarks, Minister Lin noted that this was the first time a Canadian parliamentary delegation had traveled to Taiwan since Canada’s federal election last year and that the timing of the visit demonstrated the enduring friendship between the two countries. He also reiterated that Taiwan welcomed Canada’s expression of concern over China’s recent large-scale military exercises, as well as Canada’s repeated dispatch of naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait over the past three years, demonstrating Canada’s firm commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. Minister Lin declared that Taiwan, standing on the front line against the expansion of authoritarianism, would continue to collaborate with Canada and other democratic allies to jointly defend their shared values and way of life.
 
In addition, Minister Lin emphasized that Taiwan and Canada were natural partners due to their shared values and highly complementary economic structures. He then conveyed the hope that the two countries would advance hand in hand as they moved toward an era of AI-driven innovation.
 
Melissa Lantsman, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, pointed out that Taiwan was a trustworthy partner in the areas of democracy and innovation and that the visit aimed to convey the strong support of the Canadian parliament and to enhance bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, supply chain resilience, and innovation. She added that Canada backed Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations and looked forward to the two countries jointly addressing the challenges of transnational repression and disinformation. 
 
Moreover, Ms. Lantsman asserted that, in facing the growing severity of authoritarian pressure, building economic and social resilience grounded in democratic values would be the best course of action. She also remarked that this visit highlighted the importance of bilateral interaction, dialogue, and consistency and that her country hoped that Taiwan and Canada would continue bolstering mutually beneficial bilateral relations in the future.
 
MOFA thanks the Canadian parliament for its long-standing, concrete, and staunch support for Taiwan. Looking ahead, Taiwan will continue to promote interaction and exchange with Canada and work with it to strengthen the international order based on democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

January 14, 2026  
No. 013  

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung held a banquet on the evening of January 13 to welcome a delegation led by Mayor Kate Gallego of the US city of Phoenix, Arizona. In addition to meeting with President Lai Ching-te and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, the delegation will call at the Tainan City and Taipei City governments and engage in exchanges with representatives of Taiwan’s high-tech industries, advancing bilateral economic and trade cooperation and exploring opportunities for further collaboration.
 
During his remarks at the banquet, Minister Lin said that Taiwan’s key advantages in such high-tech industries as semiconductors, AI, and advanced manufacturing allowed it to play a crucial role in global supply chains and serve as a trustworthy, cooperative partner to the United States in the domain of science and technology. Noting that Phoenix and the state of Arizona had become a significant focus for Taiwanese enterprises in recent years, he said that bilateral cooperation in the high-tech sector continued to expand.
 
Minister Lin went on to welcome Starlux Airlines’ launch of direct flights from Taipei to Phoenix, which he said would facilitate smoother flows of people, goods, and capital and thereby strengthen industrial links. He added that Taiwan and Phoenix would continue to promote industrial cooperation and talent exchanges, deepening their bilateral partnership and building even more resilient high-tech supply chains.
 
Also speaking at the banquet, Mayor Gallego thanked the government of Taiwan for its invitation and said that her visit, coming at an important moment in the development of Taiwan-US cooperation in the high-tech sector, demonstrated the close ties between Taiwan and Phoenix. She said that following Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s announcement of a US$165 billion investment, Phoenix would continue to work with Taiwan to deepen high-tech collaboration and ensure supply chain resilience.
 
Mayor Gallego also said that she looked forward to both sides continuing to promote cooperation on education, training, and youth exchanges, as well as exploring opportunities for collaboration in such cutting-edge fields as aerospace, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. She said that this would allow people on both sides to share in the fruits of cooperation.
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) welcomes the delegation led by Mayor Gallego as she makes her third visit to Taiwan. MOFA looks forward to working with Phoenix and the state of Arizona to deepen the existing partnership and jointly promote supply chain resilience, industrial cooperation, and bilateral investment, together advancing the steady development of Taiwan-US economic and trade relations. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to false claims regarding Taiwan in a joint press release issued by PRC foreign minister and AU

January 9, 2026

During a visit to Ethiopia, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi issued a joint press release with the African Union (AU) on January 8 following the China-African Union Strategic Dialogue. The joint press release blatantly disregarded objective historical facts and contained false statements, including the claim that “Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory.” 
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly condemns and protests the Chinese government’s continued efforts to spread lies and falsehoods in the international community so as to denigrate Taiwan’s sovereignty. It also expresses deep regret at the AU’s submission to and parroting of China’s political position, which deviates from international reality.
 
MOFA solemnly reiterates that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is subordinate to the other. Taiwan has long played an active role in the international community and has made substantive and constructive contributions to its African and global partners. MOFA calls on the AU, an important regional organization, to adhere to objective facts and exercise independent judgement in its public remarks and statements. 
 
China continues to repeatedly disseminate false narratives on international occasions, engaging in political suppression and discourse manipulation. Such actions, which contradict facts and undermine the international order, are not just absurd; they expose China’s attempts at authoritarian interference.
 
The sovereignty of the ROC (Taiwan) belongs to the people of Taiwan. Only they can decide Taiwan’s future. As a force for good in the international community, Taiwan will continue to defend the values of freedom and democracy and strengthen cooperation with like-minded countries to firmly defend the nation’s sovereignty, curb authoritarian expansionism, uphold the values of freedom and democracy, and further contribute to the international community.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Health Bureau said today that the Hospital Authority (HA) has provided free healthcare services to around 1,900 residents affected by November’s fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po.

Until December 31 of this year, all individuals injured in the fire and admitted to public hospitals are entitled to receive full fee waivers for all necessary healthcare services throughout the entire process of their treatment and rehabilitation. The HA had provided such services to around 1,900 affected residents as of Tuesday.

District Health Centres/District Health Centre Expresses across all of the city’s 18 districts have set up hotlines to provide personalised case management services to affected residents. As of Tuesday, the hotlines had received 363 enquiries.

Regarding mental health services, the bureau said that from the time of the Tai Po blaze to January 20, the 18111 Mental Health Support Hotline had received over 17,000 calls, around 750 of which were related to the fire. An associated WhatsApp service has handled over 800 messages, with about 50 of these concerning the fire.

The HA’s 24-hour Mental Health Direct hotline had received 102 calls related to the blaze, with 40 of these coming from affected citizens.

As of Tuesday, 71 of the 79 patients admitted to HA hospitals following the Tai Po fire had recovered and been discharged, while the remaining eight were in a stable condition, the bureau added.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Financial Secretary Paul Chan promoted Hong Kong’s advantages in Davos, Switzerland yesterday, as he continued his attendance at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting.

At the 2026 Davos-Caixin CEO Luncheon, Mr Chan delivered a keynote speech to business leaders introducing Hong Kong’s development vision and strategic positioning on finance, trade and innovation and technology.

Highlighting that under “one country, two systems”, Hong Kong is spearheading initiatives on financial and technological innovation in collaboration with neighbouring cities in the Greater Bay Area that boast robust industrial chains, he said the city holds tremendous development and investment potential.

Mr Chan also remarked that international trade is undergoing a paradigm shift. He said developed countries must be aware that the traditional model of developing economies producing and exporting low-cost goods is evolving.

Taking China as an example, he explained, the country is advancing “high-level, two-way opening-up” and focusing on expanding domestic demand. This, he said, not only injects momentum into China’s high-quality development, but also creates vast market opportunities for quality goods and services from across the globe, fostering shared prosperity.

The finance chief later shared his views, at a dinner, on China’s development, international relations, and capital market developments in both the Mainland and Hong Kong.

Earlier in the day, he attended a business exchange session, where he held bilateral discussions with Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sun Chanthol and United Arab Emirates’ Minister of State for Financial Affairs Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini.

They exchanged views on the global economic and trade landscape and explored ways to strengthen bilateral economic and trade co-operation.

Separately, Mr Chan interacted with some 100 leaders from various sectors and regions during the exchange session.

His engagements for the day also included a meeting with Yidu Tech Chairlady and Founder Gong Yingying.

Mr Chan learnt about the medical technology firm’s AI and digital-powered clinical platform, and encouraged Ms Gong to consider expanding its business to Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau said today that the matter of a seat upgrade for the Director of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s Tianjin Liaison Unit Ricky Cheng has been referred to law enforcement agencies for follow up.

The bureau made the remarks today in response to media enquiries regarding Mr Cheng’s earlier trip on a vessel to Macau.

The referral to law enforcement was made upon further investigation regarding concerns arising from Mr Cheng’s social media posts that indicated his seat had been upgraded. The bureau said that the incident was suspected of breaching the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance concerning the unauthorised acceptance of advantages by civil servants.

The bureau added that Mr Cheng was a contract staff worker and it has decided to terminate his contract with immediate effect.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

​In response to media enquiries regarding the Director of the Tianjin Liaison Unit of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau has further responded today (January 21) as follows:

Regarding the concerns arising from the social media posts issued by Mr Ricky Cheng Chun-sang, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau has undertaken further investigation. It has been considered that the incident in which Mr Cheng’s seat being upgraded on a vessel during his earlier trip to Macao is suspected of breaching the provisions under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance regarding civil servants accepting advantages without permission. The matter has already been referred to law enforcement agencies for follow up.

Mr Cheng is a contract staff of the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau. The bureau has decided to terminate his contract with immediate effect.