This Week in Taiwan 1102-1108
November 3: The United States Department of State approved the sale of four units of General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper remotely-controlled aircrafts costing about US$600 million. It will greatly enhance Taiwan's detection capacity.
November 3: According to the newest prediction by the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, Taiwan's economy will rebound sharply next year, with an economic growth rate as high as 4.01 percent.
November 5: The Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine (BAPHIQ), Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, stated that a chicken farm in Japan's Kagawa Prefecture saw an outbreak of H5 influenza. The BAPHIQ announced that Japan would be removed from the list of non-epidemic areas, and imports to Taiwan of Japanese products like live birds and fresh eggs would be prohibited.
November 5: In a recent interview by Australian media, Germany's Minister of Defense Annegret Kramp-Karrenbaue called upon Beijing and stated that should it use non-peaceful means to resolve the issue in the Taiwan Strait, it would represent a huge failure of governance. A China research team within Britain's ruling Conservative Party also published a report, demanding that the United Kingdom make clear that it would sever diplomatic relations with Beijing should it unify Taiwan by military force.
November 7: Former President Ma Ying-jeou attended a seminar on the fifth-anniversary of the historic Ma-Xi meeting in 2015 when political leaders of Taiwan and mainland China met. Ma called upon China to stop the current aircraft disturbances and military intimidation. He also hopes that both sides can return to the "1992 Consensus," which might even facilitate a Tsai-Xi meeting so that both sides may march towards the boulevard of peace.
November 8: After the presidential election in the United States saw conclusive results, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs congratulated President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris and expressed Taiwan's hopes for close operation with the United States going forward. President Tsai Ing-wen also re-tweeted a congratulatory message from Biden commending her re-election in January. President Tsai looks forward to working with the United States to enhance mutual friendship and contribute to the international community.