Uganda Returns Withheld Passports to Taiwanese Nationals

Entebbe: Ugandan immigration authorities have returned the passports to four Taiwanese nationals after recently withholding their documents at Entebbe International Airport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Thursday. According to Focus Taiwan, MOFA spokesman Hsiao Kuangwei stated that after learning of the incident, the ministry immediately instructed its representative office in Somaliland, responsible for affairs involving Uganda, to closely monitor the situation. They collaborated with the Uganda Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce to communicate with the authorities. The passports were returned to their Taiwanese holders on Wednesday local time. The ministry reported that the incident followed an earlier case where Ugandan immigration officials withheld the passports of two Taiwanese nationals at Entebbe airport, resulting in one deportation. On August 12, three additional Taiwanese nationals, including a businessperson and family members, had their passports withheld upon arrival. Although they we re allowed entry into Uganda, officials demanded Chinese passports for entry stamps, citing the country's adherence to "one China." MOFA reiterated that Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), is a sovereign and independent country, asserting that the ROC and the People's Republic of China (PRC) are not subordinate to each other. The ministry condemned Beijing's attempts to politicize the issue and undermine Taiwan's sovereignty, emphasizing that such actions highlight the authoritarian nature of its pressure on other countries. Hsiao urged governments worldwide to uphold professional and pragmatic principles, avoid unnecessary political interference, and respect the ROC's legitimate passports and travel documents to ensure normal bilateral economic and people-to-people exchanges.