TAIPEI: Chinese delegation angrily left Taiwan after saying it had been treated without respect at an airport as it was trying to enter the island to attend an Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum event, reports said.
The Chinese group was planning to attend the July 19-20 Digital Innovation Forum in Taipei, but China had failed to supply the necessary information about its delegation’s members, leading them to be unable to use a VIP entrance at the airport, Taiwan’s Storm Media reported.
The misunderstanding could have been resolved in 15 minutes, but the Chinese delegation members only wanted to wait 5 minutes, leading them to depart in protest instead of waiting for the approval.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said on July 29 that China had only offered the necessary details about the delegation members after they had boarded their flight in China, leading them to pass on the information to the National Immigration Agency at the airport as quickly as possible, while explaining to the Chinese everything would be ready within 15 minutes, Storm Media reported.
On Monday, the spokesman of China’s Foreign Ministry, Geng Shuang, expressed displeasure with the Taiwanese attitude. He described MOFA’s explanations as unacceptable, and Taiwan’s treatment of the Chinese delegation as going against usual practice.
Geng accused MOFA of trying to create confusion and of refusing to shoulder responsibility, while hoping it would take corrective measures, Storm Media reported.
