Taiwan media: S'pore officials seeking discussions on potential travel bubble with Taiwan

Possible destination?

Sulaiman Daud | Kayla Wong | November 12, 2020, 05:42 PM

(Editor's note: A previous version of this article stated that Taiwan media reported that Singapore officials are actively in discussions with Taiwan about a possible travel bubble. The article has been edited to reflect that the Singapore officials are reportedly actively seeking discussions instead.)

Following the news that Singapore and Hong Kong are moving ahead with their travel bubble arrangements, there could be another overseas region that Singaporeans could visit in the near future.

On Wednesday, Nov. 11, the Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC) reported that Lin Chia-lung, Taiwan's Minister of Transportation and Communications, revealed to Taiwanese lawmakers that Singapore officials are actively seeking discussions on a potential travel bubble with Taiwan.

Singapore in active discussions: BCC

On Nov. 11, during a meeting of the legislature's Transportation Committee, a Kuomintang legislator asked if Lin would consider instituting travel bubbles in light of the news that Pfizer had made progress in developing a potential Covid-19 vaccine.

In response, Lin reportedly informed the committee that Singaporean officials have been "very active" in seeking a discussion about a possible travel bubble with Taiwan government agencies.

Furthermore, Singapore's trade representative has expressed his intention to meet with Lin in the near future, Lin claimed.

Singapore does not have an embassy in Taiwan, but maintains a trade office in the capital of Taipei.

Vietnam and Japan reportedly in the mix too

BCC reported that if Taiwan continues to maintain a "low risk of infection", Singapore may lift its entry restrictions for Taiwanese travellers in the future.

Singapore could replace the mandatory quarantine for arrivals from Taiwan with testing protocols before and after arrival, similar to the Hong Kong arrangements.

Taiwan recently marked 200 continuous days of zero domestic Covid-19 transmissions on Oct. 29

As of Nov. 12, Google's tracker reports that Taiwan has recorded 589 cases of Covid-19 in total, with seven deaths.

Lin added that Taiwan is also in contact with officials in Vietnam and Japan about establishing travel bubbles with their countries too, but any such arrangements have to be approved by the Taiwan's Central Epidemic Command Center.

Mothership has contacted the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment.

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