TRAVEL
Passport service launched
The government yesterday launched an online passport renewal service for Taiwanese nationals. Previously, Taiwanese had to visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ branch offices to apply to renew their passports. They can now apply online and collect their new passport 14 days later at a bureau office by showing their national identity card and online application receipt. Only Taiwanese who have a household registration in Taiwan and whose personal records on their expired passport do not need to be changed are eligible to use the online application system. Taiwanese who need to renew an expired passport can enter their natural person certificate number to begin their application at www.boca.gov.tw/mp-1.html, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The service would run on a trial basis, accepting a maximum of 500 applications daily. After it is fully open, the ministry said it expects the site to fulfill 200,000 to 300,000 passport renewal applications each year.
Photo: CNA
FOOD SAFETY
Spices rejected at border
Two shipments of mixed spices from India have been rejected at the border for containing Sudan I, a banned toxic dye, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. The batches have been destroyed according to regulations and did not enter the market, it said. As the toxic substance has recently been found in numerous products such as spices and chili powder imported from China and India, spices and seasoning imports from those countries would be subject to batch-by-batch inspections, it said. The inspection standards would continue until March next year for China and August next year for India. An import of “Horseradish White Prepared X Hot” from the US was also rejected for containing 0.034 grams per kilogram of sulfur dioxide, a bleach with a legal limit of 0.03 grams per kilogram, the FDA said. Condiments from the US are currently subject to a 100 percent inspection rate due to repeated contraventions of food safety laws. Thirteen others items were also seized at the border, including produce and kitchenware from Vietnam, kitchenware and spices from China, aquatic products from Japan, fresh produce from France and spices from Turkey, the agency said. The items were intercepted for excessive pesticide residues, heavy metals or failing to pass dissolution tests, it said.
SOCIETY
National day logo unveiled
A government planning committee yesterday unveiled the official logo for this year’s Double Ten National Day celebrations. The emblem, posted to social media by the National Day Preparation Committee, uses the Chinese character for “10” (shi, 十) twice, symbolizing Oct. 10, in the colors of the national flag (red, blue and white). The characters are joined by a plum blossom, Taiwan’s national flower. Beneath the logo, a line of text in Mandarin reads: “Republic of China” and “Happy Birthday” on either side of the national flag. A second line in English reads: “A Beautiful Taiwan Today, A Better Taiwan Tomorrow.” The Double Ten National Day design often attracts political controversy. From 2016 to last year, when the Democratic Progressive Party controlled both the legislature and the presidency, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) politicians frequently criticized the design for omitting the words “Republic of China.” This year’s logo does not include the phrase “Taiwan National Day” in English, a departure from the previous two years.
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