Lawmakers and officials were among the people who lined up early yesterday to apply for the redesigned passports, which prominently display the word “Taiwan,” while minimizing the English name “Republic of China” (ROC).
Nearly 300 people applied for passports at the Bureau of Consular Affairs in Taipei, where Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) watched over the process.
Wu said he was happy to see the high level of enthusiasm for the passports, and reiterated that other nations, airlines, the International Air Transport Association and relevant agencies have been notified of the change to ensure a smooth transition.
Photo: CNA
There would be no problems using the passports, Wu said, inviting those whose passports are expiring soon, as well as anyone who is interested, to apply.
People in Taichung began lining up at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ local office before 7am, and by 8:30am, the line was snaking out the door.
Executive Yuan Central Taiwan Joint Services Center Deputy Director Hung Chun-yi (洪宗熠) was among the applicants, many of whom said they wanted to apply even though their passports did not expire soon.
More than 10 people arrived early at the ministry’s office in Hualien, saying they could not wait for the COVID-19 pandemic to be over so they could use their new passports to travel.
Before the pandemic, the Hualien office issued 70 to 80 passports per month, but in the past year had not reached even 10 most months, the ministry said.
A Hualien resident surnamed Hsiao (蕭) said that they waited to change their passport, even though their old one expired in August last year.
The new design is simple and tasteful, especially the prominent “Taiwan,” Hsiao said.
Among the applicants in Taipei was Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟), who not only showed up early, but also paid for priority processing to get his passport in two or three days, as opposed to the usual four.
“Changing the passport cover is a small step, but letting the world recognize and see Taiwan is extremely moving,” he said.
The Legislative Yuan passed the proposal to emphasize “Taiwan” over “ROC” with 66 votes for and none against, he said, thanking his colleagues for the cross-party effort.
He was happy to give this small gift to Taiwanese on the one-year anniversary of his election, he added.
Asked about the retention of the ROC name in Chinese characters, Chen said that no matter a person’s ideology, the name causes confusion internationally, sometimes even endangering Taiwanese.
The redesign is a manifestation of national sovereignty, identity and pride, and is worth feeling proud of, he added.
However, Chen said he still longs for the day he can officially say: “This is Taiwan. We are Taiwanese.”
People can apply for a new passport at the bureau office in Taipei, a local foreign ministry office or at a representative office abroad.
The cost remains unchanged: NT$1,300 for applicants aged 14 or older and NT$900 for children under 14.
Additional reporting by Su Chin-feng and Wang Chun-chi
US President Donald Trump yesterday announced sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" on US trading partners, including a 32 percent tax on goods from Taiwan that is set to take effect on Wednesday. At a Rose Garden event, Trump declared a 10 percent baseline tax on imports from all countries, with the White House saying it would take effect on Saturday. Countries with larger trade surpluses with the US would face higher duties beginning on Wednesday, including Taiwan (32 percent), China (34 percent), Japan (24 percent), South Korea (25 percent), Vietnam (46 percent) and Thailand (36 percent). Canada and Mexico, the two largest US trading
AIR SUPPORT: The Ministry of National Defense thanked the US for the delivery, adding that it was an indicator of the White House’s commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act Deputy Minister of National Defense Po Horng-huei (柏鴻輝) and Representative to the US Alexander Yui on Friday attended a delivery ceremony for the first of Taiwan’s long-awaited 66 F-16C/D Block 70 jets at a Lockheed Martin Corp factory in Greenville, South Carolina. “We are so proud to be the global home of the F-16 and to support Taiwan’s air defense capabilities,” US Representative William Timmons wrote on X, alongside a photograph of Taiwanese and US officials at the event. The F-16C/D Block 70 jets Taiwan ordered have the same capabilities as aircraft that had been upgraded to F-16Vs. The batch of Lockheed Martin
GRIDLOCK: The National Fire Agency’s Special Search and Rescue team is on standby to travel to the countries to help out with the rescue effort A powerful earthquake rocked Myanmar and neighboring Thailand yesterday, killing at least three people in Bangkok and burying dozens when a high-rise building under construction collapsed. Footage shared on social media from Myanmar’s second-largest city showed widespread destruction, raising fears that many were trapped under the rubble or killed. The magnitude 7.7 earthquake, with an epicenter near Mandalay in Myanmar, struck at midday and was followed by a strong magnitude 6.4 aftershock. The extent of death, injury and destruction — especially in Myanmar, which is embroiled in a civil war and where information is tightly controlled at the best of times —
China's military today said it began joint army, navy and rocket force exercises around Taiwan to "serve as a stern warning and powerful deterrent against Taiwanese independence," calling President William Lai (賴清德) a "parasite." The exercises come after Lai called Beijing a "foreign hostile force" last month. More than 10 Chinese military ships approached close to Taiwan's 24 nautical mile (44.4km) contiguous zone this morning and Taiwan sent its own warships to respond, two senior Taiwanese officials said. Taiwan has not yet detected any live fire by the Chinese military so far, one of the officials said. The drills took place after US Secretary
RSS