Computex Taipei’s organizers have canceled the annual computer and technology trade shows due to lingering concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and large-scale travel restrictions, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA, 外貿協會) said.
Originally scheduled to take place earlier this month, Computex was initially postponed to late September as the pandemic wreaked havoc across the globe.
“While Taiwan is no longer under the threat of COVID-19, the virus is still spreading in 187 other countries with more than 7.35 million cases worldwide,” TAITRA said in a statement
Photo: Lin Chin-hua, Taipei Times
Along with the heavy economic effects of the pandemic, travel restrictions and lockdown measures which are in place to prevent future transmissions of the virus might prevent overseas participants and press from traveling to Taiwan, it said.
“Preserving the health and safety of Computex’s participants remain our top priority... After careful deliberation, we have decided to cancel this year’s show,” TAITRA said.
Pointing to Taiwan’s closed borders, which greatly contributed to the nation’s success in combating the coronavirus, TAITRA chairman James Huang (黃志芳) said the potential risk of new cases from abroad remains high.
“Nobody can afford to shoulder this kind of responsibility” of new COVID-19 cases in the nation, Huang said.
Even if Taiwan has the capacity to test each and every one of Computex’s overseas visitors, the two-week quarantine is more than enough to dissuade the majority of participants, Huang said.
Nevertheless, the trade show in September would hold online exhibitions and forums, he added.
Computex, one of the largest trade shows of its kind, is cohosted by the Computer Association and attracts more than 40,000 visitors annually.
The next show is scheduled for June 1 to June 5 next year.
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