Press Release of the Offshore Control Division of the Executive Yuan's SARS Prevention, Control and Relief Committee
Taking consideration of local opinion and the necessity in dealing with the domestic SARS epidemic, the Executive Yuan temporarily suspended passenger and cargo ship traffic between Matsu/Kinmen islands and the Mainland respectively on April 1 and May 16, 2003. Seeing that the epidemic was gradually coming under control, the Executive Yuan on June 19 reopened the cargo links, on a special case basis, between Matsu/Kinmen and the Mainland, i.e., the "Mini-Three-Links." This morning (July 4), a group of legislators held a press conference to voice their opinions on the government's gradual opening of the "Mini-Three-Links." In response to this, the Mainland Affairs Council states the following about the general epidemic situation and the preventive measures taken regarding Matsu and Kinmen islands:
Although the Mainland has recently been taken off the WHO list of "areas with recent local transmissions of SARS," it is true that the epidemic situation in the Mainland is far from clear due to a lack of transparency. This means that the risk of renewed transmission cannot be ruled out completely. Experts are also warning of a potential danger that SARS will come back in fall or winter, which means that we have to stay alert and be ready to deal with possible new outbreaks. Taking all these factors into careful consideration, the government, although having lifted compulsory quarantine measures for ROC nationals returning to Taiwan from the Mainland, we still require everybody to fill in a Questionnaire for SARS Prevention and undergo a temperature check before entry is granted. After entering Taiwan, people are required to follow a "self-care procedure" as prescribed by the "Guide to Self-Care Procedure" and their compliance with the relevant regulations is monitored by the local health authorities. Applying the same cautious approach to the Kinmen and Matsu areas, it is obvious that in the interest of the safety and health of the population there, the complete reopening of the "Mini-Three-Links" can only be considered after a set of adequate prevention measures has been implemented.
With the "Mini-Three-Links" temporarily suspended, preventive quarantine and border control measures have already taken a different shape in Matsu and Kinmen than on Taiwan proper. Before the "Mini-Three-Links" can become fully operational again, we need to closely inspect the situation and install comprehensive prevention measures to avoid the risk of SARS outbreak. Such prevention measures include the deployment of qualified quarantine staff as the frontline of defense, setting up preventive equipment and facilities, and the implementation of a follow-up monitoring mechanism. Furthermore, a local task force has to be ready to respond quickly and decisively should any SARS cases be reported, and isolation wards and evacuation mechanisms need to be in place to allow a concerted response to any emergencies. Other items that need to be carefully arranged through close cooperation between central and local administrations include flight schedules, passenger transport and accommodation plans.
In conclusion, the reopening of the "Mini-Three-Links" will only take place after the relevant government agencies, in cooperation with the local governments, have successfully implemented all necessary preventive/quarantine measures. The Mainland Affairs Council will send staff to Kinmen and Matsu on July 4 and July 7 to gain a firsthand understanding of preventive measures and the progress of preparations. After an evaluation of the local opinion and the demand for cross-Strait contact, and when everything is in place, we will allow the complete resumption of the "Mini-Three-Links."