March 4, 2022
No. 047
A third bus arranged by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) carrying 21 people—including eight nationals and their family members—arrived safely in Poland from western Ukraine on March 3 at approximately 19:00 (Taipei time).
Of the 21 passengers on the bus, eight were R.O.C. (Taiwan) nationals and 13 were their foreign spouses and other individuals. Based on humanitarian grounds, MOFA accorded equal treatment to all evacuees, transporting them to Poland, where they were met at the Ukraine-Poland border and attended to by personnel from Taiwan’s Representative Office in Poland and the Taiwan Trade Center in Kyiv. Following the same principles, MOFA will provide necessary assistance for the nationals to return to Taiwan or proceed to another country, according to their wishes.
Immediately following the outbreak of armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, MOFA instructed its Representative Offices in Russia, Poland, and Slovakia to coordinate and, with the assistance of the Taiwan Trade Center in Kyiv, arrange for three buses to evacuate expatriates and nationals from Ukraine on behalf of the government. Assistance was given to a total of 55 expatriates and nationals to leave Ukraine, either on evacuation buses or independently. Apart from one national in southern Ukraine who does not wish to leave, all other expatriates have been safely evacuated.
MOFA thanks the governments of Poland and Slovakia for their cooperation and assistance in granting entry and refuge to R.O.C. (Taiwan) nationals. It also recognizes the collective hard work of the Taiwan Trade Center in Kyiv, generous Taiwanese expatriates in Ukraine, and staff of related Representative Offices in coordinating the departure of nationals from Ukraine and ensuring their personal safety. With the completion of the initial evacuation effort, Taiwan will continue to work with the international community to promote humanitarian assistance programs in Ukraine and support recovery efforts by the Ukrainian people.
MOFA again reminds nationals that armed conflict in Ukraine is continuing and urges them not to travel to the country. It also strongly advises nationals still in Ukraine to leave the country for safety as soon as possible. Nationals in urgent need of assistance should immediately call the emergency hotline of the Representative Office in Russia at +7-969-008-6111 or the Taiwan Trade Center in Kyiv at +380-44-537-0982. (E)
Related pictures
- The third group of R.O.C. (Taiwan) nationals evacuating from Ukraine arrive at the Poland border.
- The evacuation bus for R.O.C. (Taiwan) nationals arrives at the Poland border.
- The Director of the Taiwan Trade Center (right) and a staff member of Taiwan’s Representative Office in Poland (second right) welcome the evacuated nationals at a hotel arranged for their stay.