Press Release of the Offshore Control Division of the Executive Yuan's SARS Epidemic Prevention, Control and Relief Committee
To guarantee that Taiwanese businesspeoples who have gained permission from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to invest in the Mainland will, together with their staff, actually implement the flexible quarantine measures as stipulated in the "Guidelines for Entrants to Conduct Business Activities" after returning to Taiwan, the competent authorities, including the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Investment Commission (MOEAIC), the National Science Council (NSC), and the Science-Based Industrial Park Administration, will continue to enhance their efforts to perform random checks to ensure that they comply fully with the regulations and measures stated in the guarantee letters. This will prevent loopholes in Taiwan's SARS prevention efforts. The Offshore Control Division declared that on June 9 and 10, the MOEAIC granted a total of more than 3,000 guarantee letters allowing business/work visitors to enter Taiwan on eased regulations of the Guidelines. The Offshore Control Division stressed that both the commercial visitors and the responsible persons of related companies are required to comply with procedures as those signed by them in their guarantee letter. If they are found to be acting in violation of their guarantee letter, they may be issued a fine of not less then NT$ 60,000 and not exceeding NT$ 300,000.
The government's newly adjusted plan on quarantine measures for business/work travelers entering Taiwan from SARS transmission areas has been in place since June 9. According to the adjusted regulations, business visitors may be exempt from home quarantine measures after approval by the competent authority, and if their company has signed a letter of guarantee. Yet this does not mean that business visitors are free from all restrictions. They are still required to comply with all prevention measures prescribed in the "Guidelines for Entrants to Conduct Business Activities," which include: the wearing of a surgical mask whenever in small, closed spaces, daily temperature checks, refraining from use of any form of public transportation vehicles, recording in detail of the visitor's entire itinerary during stay in Taiwan, and avoiding visiting crowded public areas. The responsible persons of related companies are also required to daily forward to the local health authority a list with the names, times of arrival, and accommodation places of all their visitors. Business visitors further need to record all relevant details of their visit in their "Health Condition and Taiwan Itinerary Form," which will be used by the responsible organizations for random check purposes. The Offshore Control Division declared that according to the "Interim Regulations of SARS Control," with the signing of a guarantee letter a company enters a legal obligation to comply with the "Guidelines for Entrants to Conduct Business Activities." Therefore, the responsible persons of related companies should do everything in their power to perfect follow-up procedures as detailed in the Guidelines.
According to the newly adjusted plan, travelers entering Taiwan for business/work reasons will not be eligible for a quarantine relief grant. The Offshore Control Division explained that since the implementation of the new rules, these travelers have been exempt from Type B Home Quarantine, and they are thus not applicable to the regulations about the issuance of a quarantine grant, so that the government's SARS-relief budget can be allocated more effectively.
There have been some kinds of media reports, both critical and supportive, on who should be the targeted people of the adjusted plan. In response to this, the Offshore Control Division stated that the domestic SARS epidemic is showing signs of coming under control, but that a potential danger of new outbreaks remains. Therefore, SARS-related restrictions can only be eased gradually in view of the possible risk and the government's overall capacity to implement SARS prevention policy. Currently, our priority in adjusting regulations is to energize domestic business activities. Since the quarantine measures have yet to be relaxed completely, we hope that individuals to whom the newly adjusted plan cannot apply can show understanding for this policy, and support the administration in concerted efforts to rationally face the necessary action taken to deal with the SARS crisis. The government will constantly monitor the situation, and continue to readjust the rules accordingly.