I took the initiative to close the representative office in Papua New Guinea. Overseas Chinese Affairs Council: Strengthen contact with overseas Chinese to provide assistance

Acting Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Council, Li Yihuijin, said that there are less than a hundred local overseas Chinese in Papua New Guinea, mainly Taiwanese businessmen engaged in international trade. In the future, they will try to strengthen contact with local Taiwanese overseas Chinese and proactively meet their needs.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced last Friday (6th) that it would voluntarily close the Taiwan Economic and Trade Office in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, and withdraw its personnel there, in response to the country’s government’s recent unilateral and unreasonable demands on China, in order to safeguard national dignity, diplomatic independence, and overall national interests. Regarding the follow-up assistance to overseas Chinese, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Council said today that there are less than a hundred local overseas Chinese in Papua New Guinea, mainly Taiwanese businessmen engaged in international trade. In the future, they will try to strengthen contact with local Taiwanese overseas Chinese and proactively meet their needs.

The Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee of the Legislative Yuan today (9th) invited Acting Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Council Li Yanhui to report on the business overview and prepare for questions. Xu Qiaoxin asked: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 6th that it would take the initiative to withdraw all personnel stationed in Papua New Guinea and comprehensively terminate technical assistance. After the withdrawal of the mission, does the Overseas Chinese Affairs Council really know the number of local overseas Chinese and Taiwanese businessmen?

Li Yanhui replied that the Overseas Chinese Affairs Council currently does not have an Overseas Chinese Affairs Secretary stationed locally, and the number of overseas Chinese in the local area is also very small, "probably less than 100 people." The local overseas Chinese are mainly engaged in timber, seafood, retail or international trade, and there are still some Taiwanese businessmen staying in the local area to "operate independently."

Xu Qiaoxin asked, the Overseas Chinese Affairs Council's business report mentioned "the need to build an international friendship network with Taiwan." Now that the representative office in Papua New Guinea has been withdrawn, has the Overseas Chinese Affairs Council activated a corresponding response mechanism? How will the Overseas Chinese Affairs Council take over the business of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the future to help overseas Chinese respond to any emergency relief and emergency relief incidents locally?

Li Yanhui said that my country currently has 122 emergency relief associations around the world, but the number of Chinese in Papua New Guinea is indeed very small. In addition, the resources of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Council are limited, and the Overseas Chinese Affairs Secretary may not be able to provide immediate assistance. Therefore, in the future, we will strengthen contact with local Taiwanese overseas Chinese and proactively provide needs as much as possible.