The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday outlined the guidelines it follows when arranging foreign trips for the nation’s mayors, saying that its staff would not assist in events for election purposes, as part of their duty to uphold administrative neutrality.
This year, Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜), Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) and Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) have visited the US, while New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) and Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) have visited Europe.
To ensure that ministry personnel at home and abroad are properly employed and do not breach administrative neutrality rules, the ministry has set forth guidelines to follow when assisting mayors on foreign trips, Department of North American Affairs Director-General Vincent Yao (姚金祥) told a regular news conference in Taipei.
Photo: Lu Yi-hsuan, Taipei Times
Any mayors who plan to travel abroad are advised to send an official document to inform the ministry of their plans and clarify the purpose of the trip, as well as what help they need from the ministry, Yao said.
The ministry has not yet received notice that Han — the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) presidential nominee — is to pay a second visit to the US next month, as has been rumored, Yao said.
If a presidential candidate visits another nation, the ministry would not provide any assistance, as stipulated by Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), he said.
After receiving the document, the ministry’s overseas embassies would help arrange administrative assistance for the visiting group, including airport transfers, customs courtesy clearance, itinerary planning, accommodation and transportation, and would send officials to accompany the group, the guidelines read.
Ministry personnel must not assist or attend any rallies or fundraising events held for political or election purposes, Yao said.
The guidelines cover mayors of the six special municipalities, as their proposed trips are often larger in scope, but the ministry uses the same principles to assist with travel plans proposed by the leaders of other local governments, he added.
Embassies may appoint officers to accompany groups visiting from Taiwan, but they should respect the group if it decides to follow parts of its itinerary without help from the ministry, the guidelines state.
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