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Ugandan immigration authorities reportedly withheld the passports of three Taiwanese travellers and asked them to provide Chinese passports, citing Uganda's "One China principle", according to a report by Central News Agency (CNA) which cited Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).
The three Taiwanese nationals arrived at Entebbe International Airport at around 3 pm local time on Wednesday, where they encountered immigration officials, Taiwan's MOFA said in a statement. Although the travellers were eventually permitted to enter Uganda, the officers reportedly refused to return their Taiwanese passports unless they presented passports issued by China, in which the officials could place entry stamps. Taiwan's representative office in Somaliland, which handles matters related to Uganda, along with the Taiwanese business association in Uganda, promptly offered assistance to the affected travellers, according to MOFA. The incident came after two previous cases involving Taiwanese nationals whose passports were also withheld at the airport. One of those individuals was later refused entry into Uganda and sent back, CNA reported. Yen Chia-liang, head of MOFA's Department of West Asian and African Affairs, said the earlier incidents may have been connected to Taiwan's decision to suspend visa issuance and entry for Ugandan nationals on June 2 amid growing concerns over Ebola. However, Yen said the ministry could not exclude the possibility that Uganda had altered its entry policy for Taiwanese nationals in accordance with its "One China principle", as cited by CNA. MOFA said Uganda has not officially announced any changes to its visa or entry requirements for Taiwanese nationals. In response to the recent incidents, the ministry advised Taiwanese citizens to carefully consider the necessity and potential risks associated with travelling to Uganda and recommended postponing planned trips for the time being. Taiwan's representative office will continue engaging with Ugandan authorities to seek clarification and negotiate over the issue, while also providing assistance to the affected travellers, MOFA said. The ministry urged Uganda not to introduce inappropriate entry restrictions based on political considerations, warning that such measures could negatively affect normal exchanges and shared interests between the two sides. MOFA also called on the Ugandan government to acknowledge that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to one another. According to figures cited by MOFA and reported by CNA, nearly 70 Taiwanese nationals currently reside in Uganda, while around 35 Taiwanese-invested companies operate in the country and contribute to local employment. (ANI)
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