The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Feb. 14 welcomed the decision by the government of the Philippines earlier the same day to immediately lift travel restrictions on visitors from Taiwan.
This positive development reflects the Southeast Asian country’s recognition of the effective and strict protocols implemented by Taiwan to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus first discovered in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year, the MOFA said.
According to the ministry, the situation in Taiwan is well under control, with the government’s disease-fighting measures and information transparency commended by the international community.
In a tweet on the MOFA’s official Twitter account, Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu praised the friendship between the two countries and celebrated the result as a triumph for diplomatic efforts.
The MOFA also urged the World Health Organization to correct its misleading designation of Taiwan as part of China, adding that politics should have no place in the global fight against disease.
This error has caused several countries to unilaterally issue travel restrictions on visitors or direct flights from Taiwan, resulting in great inconvenience for thousands of people and disrupting the global aviation network, the ministry said.
The WHO must invite Taiwan to take part in all its related activities, mechanisms and meetings, including the upcoming World Health Assembly, so as to ensure the integrity of the global disease-fighting network, the MOFA added. (SFC-E)
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