Taiwan Today

ROC Minister of Foreign Affairs David Y. L. Lin expressed condolences April 18 on behalf of the government and people of Taiwan to South Korea following the sinking of the 6,825-ton ferry Sewol two days earlier near Jindo Island in the southwest of the country. Of the 475 passengers, more than 200 remain missing with 64 confirmed dead. The Sewol, which was sailing from the western port city Incheon to Jeju Island off the southern coast of the Northeast Asian country, capsized after taking a what is believed to have been a sharper than normal turn. In addition, Lin offer Chung Sang-ki, South Korea’s representative to Taiwan, full assistance with search and rescue efforts.

The ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs regrets the visit by Keiji Furuya, chairman of Japan’s National Public Safety Commission Chairman, to the Yasukuni Shrine April 20. Repeated trips by cabinet members from the Northeast Asian country to the shrine have undermined Japan’s ties with neighboring countries and raised tensions in the region, the MOFA said. Japan should learn from the past and enhance regional peace and prosperity, the ministry added.

Taipei Municipal Ming Dao Elementary School will represent Taiwan at the Asia-Pacific and Middle East Regional Tournament for the Little League World Baseball Series. Ming Dao overcame Taoyuan County-based Chung Ping Elementary School in northern Taiwan April 19 to win the honor. This is the fourth time a Taipei team will fly the flag for Taiwan at the regional tournament. First staged in 1947, the LLWBS is an annual baseball tournament for children aged 11-13 held every August in Pennsylvania. (DF-JSM)

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