The painful negotiations over the repatriation of Taiwanese reflect the suspicion and broken communication channels that have marred cross-strait relations since Tsai Ing-wen took office. There are lessons to be learned for both sides
South China Morning Post
Date: 11 Mar, 2020
By: Jason Li
Soldiers in protective suits disinfect Taiwanese evacuees from Hubei, after their China Eastern Airlines flight landed at Taoyuan International Airport on Tuesday night. Photo: EPA-EFE / Handout from Ministry of National Defence
On February 3, a China Eastern flight carried 247 passengers home to Taiwan from coronavirus-stricken Wuhan. This apparent feat in cross-strait coordination came at a low point in relations, following the re-election in January of President Tsai Ing-wen from the historically independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party.Yet, hopes that successive flights would soon follow for the other Taiwanese who were still stranded in Hubei were quickly dashed. For 36 days after the first flight, disagreements between the two sides held up progress. It was only on March 10 that a second batch of evacuees were flown home, and they included only 361 of the 1,000 potential evacuees.
What caused the month-long delay, and why are the remaining 500-plus Taiwanese still not home? [FULL STORY]