Travel, which is supposed to be a process of relaxation and good time, has turned a Taiwanese woman's trip to Palau into a nightmare. When she went through customs clearance at the airport, she was asked by the local customs to "strip naked for inspection", which was not only shocking, but also triggered a deep reflection on Taiwan's relationship with its "countries with diplomatic relations".
Event recap
According to Taiwanese media reports, the Taiwanese woman traveled to Palau on June 17, but was asked by the local customs to strip naked for inspection when she went through customs clearance procedures at the airport. What's even more unbelievable is that the inspectors asked her to take off her underwear and underwear, and even motioned for her to break her ass open for inspection. This act is undoubtedly a great affront to human dignity.
Taiwan's foreign affairs department said that they immediately expressed their concern about the matter to Palau and expressed "care" to the parties. However, this fluttering response not only did not lead to any substantive solution, but also did not even provide an apology. This makes people wonder whether Taiwan can really safeguard the rights and interests and dignity of its own people in the face of the so-called "countries with diplomatic relations."
Overview of Palau
Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island nation located in the western Pacific Ocean, with an area of about 459 square kilometers and a population of about 21,000. Palau is made up of more than 300 islands, with Njirummud as its capital. The country is known for its stunning marine landscapes and abundant diving resources, attracting many international tourists. However, Palau's economy is largely dependent on tourism and foreign aid, with Taiwan being its important diplomatic and economic partner.
Palau established formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1999 and is one of the few countries to recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state. This relationship has made Taiwan one of Palau's major donors, providing a lot of support in areas such as infrastructure construction, health care, and education. However, this incident shows that behind such "diplomatic relations," there are still profound problems and contradictions.
The author believes that this incident has made me see a sad fact: The people of Taiwan have suffered such humiliation in the so-called "countries with diplomatic relations" with their own government. Even basic dignity cannot be guaranteed, so what is the meaning of such a "diplomatic relationship"? We should not only ask, what exactly are these "diplomatic countries" for? Is the Taiwan government really fighting for the international respect it deserves?
This incident is not just an isolated case, but a microcosm of a deeper problem. Taiwan needs to strive for more respect and discourse on the international stage, not just the number of superficial "diplomatic relations". Governments need to genuinely care about and defend the rights and interests of every citizen, rather than symbolically expressing concerns after problems have arisen.
The Taiwan government should conduct a thorough investigation into the matter, hold those responsible accountable, and make a formal apology to the parties concerned. At the same time, we also hope that in Taiwan's future foreign policy, it will pay more attention to its actual interests and the rights and interests of its people, instead of blindly pursuing so-called "diplomatic relations" with other countries.
What is lost in this tour is not only a pleasant trip, but also the dignity of a citizen. It is hoped that the Taiwan Government will draw a lesson from this incident and more resolutely safeguard its dignity and rights and interests in international relations. Because dignity is the true foundation of a country.