外交部的狗屁中文/Taiwan, Japan to launch rail diplomacy campaign

Taiwan, Japan to launch rail diplomacy campaign

‘SISTER TRAINS’:Two of the oldest locomotives in Taiwan and Japan, steam trains that ply tourist areas in Hokkaido and Taiwan’s mountains, will be involved

Staff Writer, with CNA

The C11-171 steam locomotive hauls the Fuyu-no-Shitsugen train along snowy tracks in Hokkaido, Japan, in an undated photograph provided by the Taiwan Railways Administration.

Photo: CNA, courtesy of the Taiwan Railways Administration

Taiwan and Japan plan to launch a joint rail tourism campaign next month as part of expanding links between the two countries since a massive earthquake struck Japan in March last year.

In the campaign, dubbed “sister trains,” Taiwan’s CK124 steam engine and a similar Japanese train called the Hokkaido SL Fuyu-no-Shitsugen will be used to promote railway travel in both countries, authorities said.

The partnership idea came about during a visit to Taiwan by Japanese officials in April last year to promote tourism as part of Japan’s disaster recovery efforts.

After months of discussions and with the help of non-profit organizations, a promotional campaign was devised featuring a plan called “Train Travel: Winter in Hokkaido and summer in Taiwan.”

It is to be formalized on March 12 in a letter of intent signed by the Japan Hokkaido Railway Co (JR Hokkaido) and the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA).

“It is the first time that Taiwan has entered into such a partnership with a foreign rail company,” said Wang Chuan-hsin (王川信), the TRA division chief in charge of the project.

JR Hokkaido said the promotional campaign is expected to help revive the economy in northeast Japan, an area that was hit hard by the powerful earthquake and ensuing tsunami on March 11 last year.

The partnership is also a means to express Japan’s gratitude for Taiwan’s tremendous humanitarian aid in the wake of the disaster, JR Hokkaido said.

For Taiwan, the project also offers an opportunity to enhance cultural preservation, according to the Society of Railway and National Planning, which has been involved in the partnership.

“We hope Taiwan can take this opportunity to learn from Japan’s ways of preserving invaluable cultural heritage like these locomotives,” said Jen Hen-yi, a spokesman for the society.

Although the full details of the promotional campaign have not been finalized, the TRA said, it plans to invite its Japanese counterpart to take part in Taiwan’s Railway Festival in June.

The CK124, built in 1936, is one of Taiwan’s most popular steam locomotives and is widely used by the TRA for promotional purposes.

In Japan, the C11-171 engine that pulls the SL Fuyu-no--Shitsugen Train was manufactured in 1940 and operated in various parts of Hokkaido.

沈斯淳/外交部的狗屁中文

〔記者范正祥／台北報導〕外交部昨宣布，駐日代表馮寄台請辭已准退職，特派外交部常次沈斯淳為駐日代表。外交部長楊進添形容，這是「精挑細選」的安排，未來將持續拓展及強化台灣與日本的密切友好關係。

請辭駐日代表的馮寄台昨接受中央社採訪指出，日本方面及日本交流協會對沈斯淳已表歡迎之意，他深信以沈斯淳的條件與對日本的了解必能勝任。

對於外界質疑沈斯淳「沒有特別日本的背景」，「不會說日文」，「日方會不會覺得派此人來好像不很重視日本？」楊進添反駁說，沈斯淳擔任常次時負責督導亞東 關係協會的業務，是直接督導台灣對日本關係的業務，也是外交部對日本的最高階官員，怎麼會是不重視與日本的關係？相反地，這還是「精挑細選」的人選。

楊進添透露，外界不知道，沈斯淳自修勤學日語多年，對日語有基礎，熟知日本國情，並對日本事務及台日關係的發展多所研究，「沈斯淳督導對日業務是歷年來成效最多的」。

不會說日文？ 沈︰半年內用日文演講

針對外界質疑「不會說日文」，沈斯淳受訪時宣示說，「到任半年之內用日文做公開演講」，以具體行動消除外界質疑。

沈斯淳表示，就讀大學時期已開始研習日文，平日也經常閱讀日文報章雜誌，修過日文課程，推動對日工作，「會使用日文溝通」。

外交部的狗屁中文

關於馮寄台請辭及政府所作考量，外交部說，「馮代表階段性任務已完成，另由於渠侍母至孝，亟盼返國就近照顧，爰曾多次請辭，政府考量馮代表個人情形，同意予以退職。」楊進添稱許馮寄台駐日三年半期間，完成多項重要任務，全力推動台灣與日本「特別夥伴關係」。

沈斯淳畢業於台大政治系，現年五十八歲，投入外交工作超過卅二年，歷任駐溫哥華辦事處長、駐加拿大副代表、國組司長、亞西司長、駐捷克代表、外交部主秘等職，部內給予「外交經驗及歷練完整豐富」評語。

沈斯淳擔任國組司長任內，曾與當時的國貿局副局長梁國新率團前往北京，和第十三屆亞太經合會第一次資深官員會議主席、中國外交部副部長王光亞舉行雙邊會談，是台灣外交部官員中，與中國方面的外交官有過應對經驗者。