Control Yuan finds visa-free programs adding to crime in Taiwan

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/11/24
By: Liu Lee-jung and Kuan-lin Liu

Taipei, Nov. 24 (CNA) There has been an increase in foreign nationals engaging in illegal

CNA file photo

activities in Taiwan since the country initiated visa-free entry programs under its New Southbound Policy, according to a Control Yuan report released on Friday.

The government has extended visa-free access to 17 diplomatic allies in Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific as well as 10 Southeast Asian countries and six South Asian countries covered by the New Southbound Policy, the report said.

But while these programs help promote diplomatic relations and tourism, nationals from these countries appear to be taking advantage of them to come to Taiwan and engage in such illegal activities as drug smuggling, human trafficking, and prostitution, the report said.

In the case of Thailand, there has been an increase of 157 Thai nationals who have been arrested for crimes in Taiwan since the trial visa-free entry program was rolled out for Thailand and Brunei in August 2016, according to the report.    [FULL  STORY]

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