Seeking to diversify Taiwan's sources of foreign workers, officials from the Council of Labor Affairs (
"Mongolia's government appreciates our worker-protection regulations very much and is willing to cooperate with us .... We think that importing workers from Mongolia is quite feasible," Kao said at a press conference yesterday.
Critics, however, charged that the plan was merely an attempt to win political points by making deals with a country that was formerly Chinese territory.
"The government uses imported foreign workers as a diplomatic tool, especially since Mongolia was once Chinese territory," said Chuang Miao-tze (莊妙慈), secretary-general of the Committee for Action for Labor Legislation.
Kao, reacting to the criticism, said that his only concern is Taiwan's need for workers and whether a deal with Mongolia would fit in with current labor policies.
To date, Taiwan has signed formal agreements to import workers with five countries. A formal deal with Mongolia would require the Cabinet's approval. Mongolia has signed no formal international agreements to export workers.
"Importing workers from other countries would increase our sources of foreign workers so that Taiwan's immigrant labor market does not become the exclusive preserve of just five countries," said Kuo Fang-yu (郭芳煜), director-general of the CLA Employment and Vocational Training Administration, who was with the group of six officials that visited the country.
Taiwan currently imports workers from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam.
The Taiwanese officials were invited by the Mongolian government to its capital, Ulan Bator, to attend National Day celebrations on July 11 and to evaluate the plan to import Mongolian workers.
Kao added that aside from Mongolia's cooperative attitude, a well-educated work force and the country's low crime rate are additional reason for enthusiasm over the worker plan.
Kao emphasized, however, that Taiwan would continue to limit the number of imported workers to about 300,000.
The council has been researching the importation of Mongolian workers for several months. It plans to invite other Cabinet departments involved in the issue to discuss the plan in the coming weeks.
Mongolia was a province of China until 1921, when, with backing of the Soviet Union, it won independence.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) in February revised the bylaws of the Statute Governing Relations between the People of Taiwan Area and Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例) to exempt Outer Mongolia's citizenry from any lingering diplomatic doubts, when Taipei finally recognized the Mongolian People's Republic as an independent country.
Taiwan currently has trade ties but no diplomatic relations with Mongolia.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS