The annual number of Taiwanese visitors to the US has increased by more than 100,000 since the nation’s admission to the US’ Visa Waiver Program in 2012, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said yesterday.
Before Taiwan was granted visa-free privileges on Nov. 1, 2012, on average fewer than 300,000 Taiwanese traveled to the US per year, Department of North American Affairs Director-General Christine Hsueh (薛美瑜) said at a news conference in Taipei yesterday.
“The number rose dramatically to 384,581 in 2013 and then surged to 413,048 last year. There were a record-high 91,168 Taiwanese visitors to the US in the first quarter of this year,” Hsueh said, adding that the number is expected to continue to rise.
Seven extra direct flight routes between Taiwan and the US have been launched since the change to visa waiver status, while the total number of flights between the two nations has climbed by nearly 30 percent, from 6,264 flights in 2012 to 7,989 flights last year, Hsueh said.
Hsueh said the visa-free privilege has saved Taiwanese approximately NT$1.2 billion (US$36.78 million) in visa application fees over the past two years, with the number of “B1/B2” visitor’s visas issued by the US dropping drastically from 145,304 in 2011 to 29,210 last year, Hsueh said.
“Inclusion in the program has boosted the amount Taiwanese visitors spend in the US,” Hsueh said. “Statistics show that Taiwanese business travelers on average spend US$1,359 in the US and that in total Taiwanese visitors spent more than US$1.07 billion in the US in first two years of Taiwan’s inclusion in the program.”
Taiwan is the 37th nation worldwide and the seventh in Asia to join the program, Hsueh said.
“That we are the only nation among the current 38 members of the program that does not have diplomatic ties with the US demonstrates the efficacy of the government’s viable diplomacy policy,” she said.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
The US Department of State on Monday reaffirmed that US policy on Taiwan remains unchanged, following US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “unification” while commenting on recent trade talks with China. Speaking at a wide-ranging press conference, Trump described what he viewed as progress in trade negotiations with China held in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend. “They’ve agreed to open China — fully open China, and I think it’s going to be fantastic for China. I think it’s going to be fantastic for us,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to be great for unification and peace.” Trump’s use of the
RSS