Focus Taiwan
Date: 04/29/2020
By: Wu Chia-jung and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, April 29 (CNA) Essential interaction between Taiwanese businesses and their foreign partners will be the first to recover from the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the heath minister said Wednesday, although he emphasized that this will not happen unless the pandemic control is well-executed.

Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) was speaking at the Legislative Yuan when questioned by a lawmaker when Taiwan will ease its ban on visits and transit stops by foreign travelers, while Japan has extended its ban on the entry of foreigners to the end of May due to the pandemic.

"Taiwan is an economy and trade-dominated country," Chen said at a joint hearing of six legislative committees that discussed the central government's additional budget bills for its COVID-19 bailout and revitalization plans.

The government could first ease restrictions on "necessary commercial behavior" and "important commercial interaction," the minister revealed, but "we must be well-prepared with epidemic prevention and control measures."    [FULL  STORY]