taiwan-australia-relations

Former Australian PM meets Taiwan President to express support for a democracy challenged by giant neighbor

Tony Abbott and Tsai Ing-wen at the Presidential Office Taiwan
International Relations 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met with former Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott, and expressed her gratitude for his help in negotiating an economic cooperation agreement between Australia and Taiwan, and his support for Taiwan’s participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Tony Abbott, who served as Australian Prime Minister from 2013 to 2015, responded that he was in Taiwan to help end its international isolation, and offered his support to a democratic country challenged by

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Taiwan legislature buys 200 bottles of Australian wine in support against China bullying

President of Legislative Yuan, Yu Shyi-kun
International Relations 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

Taiwan’s parliamentary body, the Legislative Yuan, has purchased 200 bottles of Australian wine in support of an international inter-parliamentary action to counter China’s bullying of the Australian wine industry. Members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), “an international cross-party group of legislators working to reform the approach of democratic countries to China,” recently called on consumers to stand up to Beijing. The call comes after the CCP slapped “anti-dumping” import tariffs on Australian wines of up to 212%. “We are

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Australia Kowtows to China: Scraps Taiwan FTA Plan

Wang-yi and Julie Bishop
Business and Economy 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment ,

Australia has abandoned plans for a free trade agreement with Taiwan after China warned the deal would harm relations with Beijing, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned former Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop that China opposed any boosting of ties between Australia and the independence-leaning government of Tsai Ing-wen at a series of meetings in 2017 and 2018, according to the October 24 report. “The Chinese government made it clear to

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Patrick the Koala Passes Away at Taipei Zoo

Patrick the koala at Taipei Zoo
Animals 
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , ,

One of Taipei Zoo’s oldest koalas, Patrick, passed away yesterday October 10 after weakening due to old age. The 19 year old koala was born a Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, on Australia’s Gold Coast, and arrived at the zoo in 1999. At the time, Taiwan became only the fourth country outside of Australia to be home to the cute arboreal marsupials. For the last 2 years Patrick suffered from worn teeth and cataracts. Barely able to see, and unable to chew

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