Chunghwa Post yesterday reminded the public that while Taiwanese are now allowed to send masks to first and second-degree relatives overseas, export permits are needed to do so, and many nations have temporarily stopped accepting mail from Taiwan.
The company said that 111 nations or territories around the world are not accepting mail from Taiwan due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Italy, Germany, India, the United Arab Emirates, Greece and Hawaii, but international express service providers such as FedEx Corp, United Parcel Service (UPS) and DHL International can still handle such deliveries.
FedEx’s Web site states that it continues to operate to and within impacted areas, as local conditions and restrictions allow, and it is adhering to all regulations and guidelines from government authorities related to the containment of COVID-19.
DHL said it is continuing to deliver goods and packages to China, except for Hubei Province and other locations regulated by the Chinese government, as well as Hong Kong and Macau.
“In order to ensure operational continuity and to keep connecting the world with a high-quality service, effective 1st April 2020, we will temporarily and until further notice levy an Emergency Situation Surcharge to all Time Definite International [TDI] shipments,” it said.
The surcharge would cover part of its increased operating costs and the necessary air network adjustments during the crisis, it added.
UPS said that it was continuing to deliver to locations around the world, where permitted.
Chunghwa Post said many people went to post offices yesterday to inquire about sending masks to overseas relatives, and some did not know that they needed to apply for export permits from the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Those who did know about the procedures mostly chose to send their masks via international express delivery or international small packet (ePacket) services, which would help the packages reach their destinations faster, the company said.
The government banned the export of masks until the April 30, but on Monday last week Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) announced that as of yesterday, Republic of China citizens would be allowed to send up to 30 adult masks every two months to close relatives living abroad.
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