中華民國外交部

Taiwan continues to provide Haiti with humanitarian relief

The government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) continues to assist with relief work of its diplomatic ally, Haiti, and is taking proactive measures to cope with the situation in the aftermath of a major earthquake that struck Post-au-Prince.

The 23-member Special Search and Rescue Team from the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of Interior arrived in the Dominican Republic on January 15, and immediately flew to Haiti as the airport in Port-au-Prince reopened. On the same day, a 33-member Emergency Rescue and Medical Team organized by the Red Cross Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and other NGOs, took China Airlines flight CI-008 to join the international relief work. Six members from the Department of Health’s Taiwan-IHA will depart next week.

Since Ambassador Hsu Mien-sheng and Minister Chi Wang-der of the ROC (Taiwan) Embassy in Haiti are both injured and hospitalized in the Dominican Republic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has designated Counselor Chang Tai-fu as the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to Haiti. Chargé d’Affaires Chang will be responsible for maintaining contact with the Haitian authorities that coordinate humanitarian aid and subsequent relief work. Although the building of Taiwan’s Embassy in Haiti collapsed during the earthquake, a provisional embassy was established at the office of Taiwan’s Technical Missions in Haiti, all embassy operations have been resumed. Chargé d’Affaires Chang has already requested an audience with President René Préval to discuss Taiwan’s assistance.

Despite the steadily deterioration of local order, health and transportation, Taiwan’s Embassy personnel has stayed on the ground since the earthquake. They are working incessantly to coordinate and communicate with their counterparts, to report about the latest development, to search for local Taiwanese businessmen, among other responsibilities. Due to the lack of transportation and devastation on the road, Embassy personnels had walked for hours to fulfill their duties. The Embassy located the Taiwanese business traveler previously reported as missing and immediately informed his family about his safety.

Given the devastation in Haiti, MOFA is advising Taiwanese citizens through its website not to visit Haiti at the present.

MOFA has decided to donate US$ 5,000,000, to assist with relief effort in Haiti, the Ministry is calling on the people of Taiwan to pledge generously in accordance with the spirit of solidarity and support towards our friends during a time of need. All donations will be transferred to the Haitian authorities through reliable channels and used to help the Haitian people for the post-disaster reconstruction. Contributions can be made through the following channels:

1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
a. Department of Treasury, Central Bank of the Republic of China
Account No.: 270240
Account name: MOFA Overseas Relief Fund
Address: No. 2, Section 1, Roosevelt Road, Taipei
b. Post Office
Account No.: 19891670
Account name: MOFA Overseas Relief Fund
2. The Red Cross Society of the Republic of China:
a. Post Office
Account No.: 15978888
b. Ho Ping Branch, Hua Nan Bank
Account No.: 121-10-0072227
c. Benefactors can go to the Red Cross website at: www.redcross.org.tw and make online donations by credit card.
3. World Vision Taiwan
a. Donation hot line: 02-2175-1995
b. Post Office:
Account No.: 15752467
Account name: World Vision Taiwan
Please indicate “Relief Fund for Haiti Earthquake.”
c. Benefactors can go to the World Vision Taiwan website at www.worldvision.org.tw. Click on “Haiti Struck by Earthquake: the 21st 30-Hour Famine Humanitarian Relief,” click on “I want to donate online for the relief fund.”

In addition on January 15, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Javier Ching-shan Hou, indicated during a press conference that MOFA was contemplating the possibility of President Ma visiting the Dominican Republic, but without evaluations or arrangements have been made for President Ma to visit Haiti.
Photo: the provisional ROC (Taiwan) Embassy being established, and Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Chang Tai-fu and his Haitian counterparts. (E)