Taiwan Minister apologises for comments on Indian migrant workers

Taiwan Labour Minister Hsu Ming-chun on Tuesday apologised for her comments on the recruitment of Indian migrant workers after receiving backlash over them, CNA English News reported.

Appearing on an online talk show with host Wang Shih-chin on February 29, Hsu had said that Taiwan’s Labor ministry will first recruit Indian workers from northeastern India because “their skin color and dietary habits are closer to ours.”

Explaining that the strategy was based on Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) assessments, Hsu said, the Indians there are “mostly Christians” who are adept at manufacturing, construction, and farming.

In response to recent statements from the Minister of Labor, I wish to express my strong condemnation.

As a member of Parliament, I want to reaffirm that Taiwan values everyone , irrespective of their race, culture, or religion. It is my firm belief that individuals from all… pic.twitter.com/rgQDS0A3uM

— 🇹🇼陳冠廷 Kuan-Ting Chen (@kuantingvision) March 5, 2024

Taiwan and India had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last month, showcasing a willingness to make India a source of Taiwan’s migrant workforce.

Speaking at a legislative hearing early Tuesday, Hsu apologized for her “inaccurate” choice of words, stating that Taiwan’s labor policies, whether directed at local or foreign workers, are crafted with equality in mind and are never discriminating, CNA English News report highlighted.

Soon after Hsu’s comments in the online talk show, Legislator Chen Kuan-ting of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, shared a video on X (formerly Twitter), “strongly condemned” them, and said, “As a member of Parliament, I want to reaffirm that Taiwan values everyone, irrespective of their race, culture, or religion. It is my firm belief that individuals from all backgrounds deserve respect, and I am committed to upholding this principle in Taiwan.”

Both #Taiwan🇹🇼 & #India 🇮🇳 embrace rich & diverse cultures. With the labor force MOU, we welcome Indian workers from all walks of life to enjoy our robust legal protections, & look forward to flourishing reciprocal exchanges based on mutual understanding.https://t.co/HvMbyCB5JC

— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan) March 5, 2024

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) also apologized for the comments which were “not entirely appropriate.” “This has led to criticism among Taiwan’s society, Indian friends, and other international stakeholders. The government expresses sincere apologies over this situation. It will earnestly review its actions and make needed improvements going forward.”

“Taiwan boasts a civil society that embraces different views and allows for a wide array of voices to be heard. Taiwan also fully respects India’s diverse and rich culture and cherishes the friendship between the peoples of Taiwan and India. It will spare no effort in advancing cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between the two countries, with the aim of further elevating cooperation and partnership between Taiwan and India,” the statement mentioned.

In November 2023, a Bloomberg news report that said India and Taiwan were in discussions about sending “tens of thousands of workers to the island as early as next month” produced concerns among social media users in Taiwan, which they claimed was a “surge of racist remarks belittling Indian workers.”

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