Foreign nationals visiting Taiwan for six purposes are to be allowed entry starting on Monday next week, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced yesterday, adding that people would no longer be required to wear a mask when riding a bike or a scooter, or when working in an open outdoor space, effective immediately.
Bureau of Consular Affairs Deputy Director Chou Chung-hsing (周中興) said the six purposes are volunteer work, missionary work, religious studies, internship, international exchange and foreigners on a working holiday.
Foreign nationals, not including residents of Hong Kong or Macau, who are planning to visit Taiwan for these six purposes can prepare the required documents and apply for a visa at the consular services office in their nation from Monday next week, he said.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Foreigners eligible for the working holiday visas are limited to those from nations with reciprocal working holiday or youth exchange agreements with Taiwan, Chou said, adding that Taiwan has agreements with 17 nations and most have already allowed entry to Taiwanese, so they are included in the eligibility expansion based on the principles of equality and reciprocity.
There were about 10,000 people in the six categories who visited Taiwan each year before the COVID-19 pandemic, so considering the current inbound traveler cap of 40,000 people per week, allowing entry to these people should still be manageable, he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang (王必勝), who heads the CECC, announced that domestic mask regulations have been slightly eased.
The changes include no longer requiring people to wear a mask when riding a bicycle, scooter or motorcycle, or when working in an open outdoor area, Wang said, adding that an open area means that the individual can keep a safe social distance from strangers and an example would be construction workers.
Asked if people must still wear a mask when taking a walk, Wang said taking a walk can be considered doing exercise, so wearing a mask is not required.
He also announced that Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Chen Chern-chyi (陳正祺) and Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Yen-po (陳彥伯) have joined the CECC’s team as deputy heads to assist the center in policies regarding resources preparation, economic revitalization, tourism development, hotel management, crowd flow and logistics.
Centers for Disease Control Director-General Chou Jih-haw (周志浩), head of the CECC’s disease surveillance division, said 26,779 new local infections and 367 imported cases were reported yesterday, as well as 37 deaths.
The caseload is slightly lower than Tuesday last week, but imported cases have been gradually increasing in the past five weeks, which reflects the trend in other nations and could be due to eased border control measures, Chou said, adding that the number of deaths is the lowest since May 16 and hopefully the number would continue to fall.
PROVOCATIVE: Chinese Deputy Ambassador to the UN Sun Lei accused Japan of sending military vessels to deliberately provoke tensions in the Taiwan Strait China denounced remarks by Japan and the EU about the South China Sea at a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, and accused Tokyo of provocative behavior in the Taiwan Strait and planning military expansion. Ayano Kunimitsu, a Japanese vice foreign minister, told the Council meeting on maritime security that Tokyo was seriously concerned about the situation in the East China and South China seas, and reiterated Japan’s opposition to any attempt to change the “status quo” by force, and obstruction of freedom of navigation and overflight. Stavros Lambrinidis, head of the EU delegation to the UN, also highlighted South China Sea
The final batch of 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks purchased from the US arrived at Taipei Port last night and were transported to the Armor Training Command in Hsinchu County’s Hukou Township (湖口), completing the military’s multi-year procurement of 108 of the tanks. Starting at 12:10am today, reporters observed more than a dozen civilian flatbed trailers departing from Taipei Port, each carrying an M1A2T tank covered with black waterproof tarps. Escorted by military vehicles, the convoy traveled via the West Coast Expressway to the Armor Training Command, with police implementing traffic control. The army operates about 1,000 tanks, including CM-11 Brave Tiger
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said it expects its 2-nanometer (2nm) chip capacity to grow at a compound annual rate of 70 percent from this year to 2028. The projection comes as five fabs begin volume production of 2-nanometer chips this year — two in Hsinchu and three in Kaohsiung — TSMC senior vice president and deputy cochief operating officer Cliff Hou (侯永清) said at the company’s annual technology symposium in Silicon Valley, California, last week. Output in the first year of 2-nanometer production, which began in the fourth quarter of last year, is expected to
Taiwan’s drone exports surged past US$100 million in the first quarter, exceeding last year’s full-year total, with the Czech Republic emerging as the largest buyer, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said. Exports of complete drones reached US$115.85 million in the period, about 1.2 times the total recorded for all of last year, the ministry said in a report. Exports to the Czech Republic accounted for about US$100 million, far outpacing other markets. Poland, last year’s top destination, recorded about US$11.75 million in the first quarter. Taiwan’s drone exports have expanded rapidly in the past few years, with last year’s total
RSS