This Week in Taiwan 0404-0410
April 6: Chairman Eric Chu of the Kuomintang (KMT) announced that Director Alexander Huang of the Department of International Affairs will serve as representative to the United States, and Deputy Director Eric Huang will serve as deputy representative permanently stationed in the United States. Chu is expected to visit the United States in late May, accompanied by Vice Chairman Andrew Hsia. The tentative itinerary includes visits to five major cities (Boston, Washington, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles), where he will publicly deliver remarks.
April 6: Taiwan is following international sanctions against Russia and strictly reviewing products exported by Taiwanese businesses. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Taiwan will impose export controls, monitor a list of exports to Russia, and, effective immediately, strictly manage 57 military and commercial dual-use items, which may be used in large-scale weapons.
April 8: According to the United States Department of State, Deputy Secretary of State Brian McKeon met with Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Washington on April 7. During the meeting, McKeon urged the WHO to allow Taiwan to attend the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva from May 22 to 28 as an observer.
From 2009 to 2016, Taiwan was invited to participate in the WHA as an observer for eight consecutive years. But due to pressures from mainland China, Taiwan has not been invited to participate in the WHA since 2017, for five consecutive years.
April 8: According to the spokesman of the Office of the President, President Tsai Ing-wen had a meal with 11 family members at her official residence on April 4. One of them was diagnosed positive on April 8. The family member was three meters away from the president that day. While the president tested negative, she will be quarantined under the official regulations until April 14 and undergo self-health management for another seven days until April 21. During this period, President Tsai will attend meetings by video conference and suspend public travel.
April 8: Keelung implemented a city-wide screening from April 5 to April 9 for residents over 18 years old. About 130,000 doses of rapid screening tests were distributed, and 14 positive cases were reported, including 11 cases that were confirmed by PCR testing. The Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) stated that although elimination is challenging, circumstances reflect that the pandemic is gradually being put under control.
April 8: The CECC released a home caregiving, providing that those under the age of 65 who are not pregnant or require kidney dialysis may receive care at home and live with up to four people who have not been tested positive. However, those who exhibit wheezing, stuffiness, unconsciousness, and blue skin symptoms shall seek medical attention.
April 8: The Dajia Jenn Lann Temple started a nine-day, eight-night Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage, with former President Ma Ying-jeou, Deputy Mayor Huang Kuo-jung of Taichung, and Chairman Yen Ching-piao of the Jenn Lann Temple launching the annual religious procession, followed by masses of pilgrims.
This year, participants are required to have received three doses of vaccine before departure, and obtain "OK" identification on the third dose vaccine with their official proof of vaccination. As of April 8, more than 100,000 copies of such identification have been issued. Many believers queued to receive vaccines in order to join the procession.
April 10: According to current regulations, if two instructors or students from different classes test positive, then the entire school must suspend classes. According to statistics released by the Ministry of Education (MOE), as of the afternoon of April 10, a total of 223 schools in Taiwan have suspended classes, including 33 kindergartens, 83 elementary schools, 28 junior high schools, 32 senior high schools, and 47 colleges and universities. A total of 2,020 students tested positive. The MOE is expected to relax criteria for school closure next week.