The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) yesterday confirmed that more than 830,000 nonmedical-grade masks were seized at customs for being falsely labeled as being made in Taiwan.
Tsai Shou-chuan (蔡壽洤), head of the center’s supply division, said that customs conducted batch-by-batch inspections on imported masks from Aug. 10 to Friday, and 577 batches of nonmedical-grade masks — a total of about 838,320 masks — were seized for false labeling.
The Bureau of Foreign Trade would fine those responsible, while prosecutors would investigate and decide whether the masks should be returned or destroyed, he said.
Photo: CNA
The seizure comes after the owner of New Taipei City-based mask supplier Carry Hi-tech Co (加利科技) was last week accused of importing more than 3 million nonmedical-grade masks from China and selling them through the government’s mask rationing system as medical masks made in Taiwan.
Asked if importers of the seized masks included local mask suppliers of medical masks for the government’s mask rationing system, Tsai said they did, and that an investigation report would be released in two weeks.
However, the center later said that his response was “a slip of the tongue,” and that the center has not yet confirmed whether suppliers for the government’s mask rationing system were involved.
As for people who bought masks with the “Carry mask” logo imprinted on them, the case is being investigated by the Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office.
The center had announced that people who had bought Carry Hi-tech masks through the rationing system could exchange them at pharmacies from Friday.
Tsai yesterday said that more than 530,000 Carry Hi-tech masks were exchanged on Friday and another 743,202 were exchanged on Saturday, bringing the total number of recalled Carry Hi-tech masks to 1,279,177 in the first two days.
More than 1.19 million Carry Hi-tech masks, or 90 percent, were recalled in New Taipei City, he added.
Meanwhile, the center yesterday reported an imported case of COVID-19 — a Taiwanese man who had returned from the Philippines.
The man, who is in his 40s, works and lives in the Philippines, and returned to Taiwan alone on Thursday, center spokesman Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said.
The man began experiencing a fever, sore throat, coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and sore muscles on Tuesday last week, but did not seek medical attention, he said.
Chuang said the man reported that a Filipino friend who lives with him had tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday.
The man had informed the airline personnel about his condition before boarding the plane, and wore a mask and protective clothing throughout the flight, he said, adding that his first test result taken at the airport came back negative.
As the man continued to experience shortness of breath and chest tightness during his stay at a centralized quarantine facility, he was tested again and the test came back positive yesterday, making him the nation’s 493rd confirmed case, Chuang said.
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
A Chinese takeover of Taiwan would severely threaten the national security of the US, Japan, the Philippines and other nations, while global economic losses could reach US$10 trillion, National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) wrote in an article published yesterday in Foreign Affairs. “The future of Taiwan is not merely a regional concern; it is a test of whether the international order can withstand the pressure of authoritarian expansionism,” Lin wrote in the article titled “Taiwan’s Plan for Peace Through Strength — How Investments in Resilience Can Deter Beijing.” Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) intent to take Taiwan by force
RSS