The Railway Bureau yesterday said it had invited eight Chinese technicians to assist with an airport MRT construction project.
The bureau issued the confirmation after an Internet user said Chinese nationals had entered the construction zone of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 3 project.
They asked why “individuals from an enemy state” were allowed access to such a major national infrastructure project, which raised serious concerns over Taiwan’s industrial safety, sensitive systems and information security.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
The bureau’s Northern Region Engineering Branch Office said subcontractor Taiwan Handle Industrial Co (台灣手把工業) of the Taoyuan airport MRT’s “Contract No. CU05 Project A14 Station Civil, MEP & ECS Work” had invited eight Chinese technicians for short-term entry from Monday to Friday to assist with site inspections and technical guidance for the A14 Station ceiling acoustic lining.
All personnel were approved by the National Immigration Agency to enter Taiwan for “business contract fulfillment services,” in line with regulations, the office said.
The activities they engaged in are technical guidance within the scope of contract fulfillment, which do not fall under the category of general employed workers or migrant workers, it said.
Their entry to and exit from the construction zone complied with the control procedures of the airport’s Terminal 3 project site, including those of the construction contractor responsible for registration, badging and comprehensive oversight, the office said.
The bureau said the technical guidance mainly covered the construction methods for a decorative ceiling and acoustic lining of the A14 Station, which is considered a regular professional engineering and technical exchange.
The scope of activities was limited to the No. CU05 contract construction site and did not involve sensitive systems, nor were there information security risks, it said, adding that the site inspection and technical guidance operations have concluded, and all personnel have left the site and would not re-enter the construction zone.
If public works projects require technical support for specialized professional work items, all procedures must be handled in line with the law, regulations and site management rules, the bureau said.
To avoid alarming the public, the bureau said it would require its regional offices and construction contractors to strictly implement personnel management and safety controls, ensuring engineering quality and construction safety.
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