Cultural historian in Taiwan highlights enduring Chinese heritage across Strait

The city of Tainan in China's Taiwan region offers a concentrated experience of the island's history, where centuries-old architecture and artifacts bear witness to successive historical transitions, from the Dutch colonial period to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties and the Japanese occupation era.

At the historic Chihkan Tower and the Prince of Yanping Temple, cultural historian Yen Cheng-hung traced the flow of history, highlighting the profound cross-strait ties and the enduring imprint of Chinese culture.

The Chihkan Tower, built by the Dutch in the 17th century, now features a traditional Chinese-style pavilion above its original Dutch-era foundation. The upper structure, named "Wenchang Pavilion," is a place where visitors pray for good fortune, particularly academic success.

Yen noted that many young people in Taiwan visit the site, especially on weekends. Some parents bring their children for school assignments, as Taiwan's textbooks cover the tower's history.

Yen also pointed to a statue inside the pavilion, saying it was carved in the Chinese mainland and then shipped to Taiwan.

Nearby, the Prince of Yanping Temple honors Zheng Chenggong, who established one of the earliest Han Chinese governments in Taiwan.

In 1662, Zheng expelled the Dutch colonizers and recovered Taiwan, ending 38 years of Dutch colonial rule. Remaining loyal to the Ming Dynasty, which was replaced by the Qing, Zheng robustly asserted China's sovereignty over the island.

Yen explained that Zheng brought the official selection system and basic infrastructure directly from the Chinese mainland. Shortly after his death, a temple was built and later renamed Chihkan Tower in the late Qing Dynasty.

Walking through these historical sites, one can feel that the buildings recount stories of people crossing the sea, bringing their language, beliefs and ways of life. Seeing Zheng honored on both sides of the strait makes the connection tangible. Taiwan's history is not isolated but has been shaped through constant exchanges, Yen added.

Cultural historian in Taiwan highlights enduring Chinese heritage across Strait

African officials on Wednesday pledged to scale up investment to accelerate development across the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at a meeting in Accra, Ghana's capital.

They made the commitment during the 24th Annual General Meeting of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), where leaders highlighted the need to expand the bank's capital base to finance transformative projects.

Ghanaian Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson stressed that timely capital payments would strengthen EBID's leverage and sustain its growth, enabling the institution to stimulate inclusive economic expansion across the region.

"Timely capital payments are critical. It strengthens EBID leverage and sustains its growth and impact across our region. Expanding our capital base is essential to strengthen our ability to finance transformative development projects and stimulate inclusive economic growth among our member states," said Forson.

EBID recorded strong achievements in 2025, with total disbursements of about 722 million U.S. dollars, up 47.7 percent from 2024. Building on that momentum, President George Agyekum Donkor said the bank remains committed to helping member states tackle poverty and close infrastructure gaps across the region.

"We aim to direct at least 63 percent of new commitments towards the private enterprises to catalyze job creation and innovation. Simultaneously, the bank would embed environmental, social and governance principles across its operations, dedicating over 41 percent of resources to climate mitigation and social inclusion projects," said Donkor.

With disbursements surging nearly 48 percent last year, EBID officials said the bank is positioned to channel more resources into private-sector growth and climate-focused projects, reinforcing its role as a driver of inclusive development across West Africa.

African officials vow stronger investment push at ECOWAS bank meeting in Accra