Taiwan president to donate a month’s wage for Turkey aid efforts

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and Vice President William Lai will every donate a month’s wage for Turkish earthquake aid efforts, the presidential workplace mentioned on Thursday, including to current assist already despatched by the island.

Tsai and Lai, who’re broadly anticipated to face for the presidency in elections due subsequent 12 months, “hope to do their part to help Turkey rebuild its homeland as soon as possible”, the presidential workplace mentioned in an announcement.

Turkey, like most nations, has no diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, however the two keep de facto embassies in one another’s capitals and there are direct flights between Istanbul and Taipei.

Tsai visited the de facto Turkish embassy in Taipei on Thursday to signal a e-book of condolence, writing: “My heart goes with our Turkish friends. Taiwan stands with Türkiye!”, based on her workplace.

Last 12 months, Tsai and Lai additionally each donated one month’s wage to help humanitarian aid efforts for war-torn Ukraine. Tsai earns round T$400,000 (round AED 48,850) a month.

The loss of life toll from the earthquake and aftershocks earlier this week handed 17,000 on Thursday amid anger from these left destitute and annoyed over the sluggish arrival of rescue groups.

Taiwan, which continuously suffers earthquakes itself, has already introduced $2 million in catastrophe aid and has despatched two rescue groups to Turkey to assist in search efforts for survivors.

Tsai spoke by video name to a few of Taiwan’s workforce on the bottom on Wednesday.

“I would like to thank all the members for not being afraid of difficulties and going all out so that Taiwan and Turkey can help each other,” she wrote on her Facebook web page.

Turkey joined worldwide efforts and despatched rescuers to Taiwan in 1999 after a large earthquake killed greater than 2,000 folks.