Taiwan's Labour Minister Hsu Ming-chun sparked controversy with remarks suggesting the recruitment of Indian migrant workers based on perceived similarities in skin colour, diet, and religious beliefs. The comments drew criticism from lawmakers and prompted apologies from Taiwan's foreign and labour ministries
Taiwan has taken damage control measures following controversial remarks made by the country's Labour Minister, Hsu Ming-chun, regarding the skin colour, religion, and diet of Indians, amid moved to recruit migrant workers from India. In an interview with Yahoo TV last week, Minister Hsu had suggested that Taiwan might consider recruiting workers from India's northeast region due to perceived similarities in skin colour, diets, and religious practices.
"Skin color"
Taiwan's labor minister is drawing criticism for racially charged comments about migrant workers Taiwan plans to bring from India. TaiwanPlus spoke with about how the Indian community in Taiwan is reacting. pic.twitter.com/yBHBcifcgV
Hsu stated, "Furthermore, most people in that region are Christians. Moreover, they are really good at sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and construction," while responding to inquiries about a recent agreement between India and Taiwan aimed at facilitating the migration of Indian workers to the island.
India, with its diverse cultural and religious landscape, is home to a vast population with varied ethnic backgrounds. Individuals hailing from India's northeastern region, situated along the borders of China, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, may exhibit physical features resembling those of East Asians.
Both 🇹🇼 & 🇮🇳 embrace rich & diverse cultures. With the labor force MOU, we welcome Indian workers from all walks of life to enjoy our robust legal protections, & look forward to flourishing reciprocal exchanges based on mutual understanding.https://t.co/HvMbyCB5JC
— 外交部 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MOFA_Taiwan)Hsu's remarks sparked criticism from lawmakers across Taiwan's political spectrum. Responding to the backlash, Taiwan's foreign ministry issued a statement on Monday extending "sincere apologies over this situation" and affirming Taiwan's commitment to welcoming Indian workers irrespective of their ethnic background.
The ministry emphasized Taiwan's respect for India's cultural diversity and underscored its dedication to fostering bilateral cooperation and mutual understanding between the two nations.
In a separate apology, Taiwan's labour ministry clarified that Minister Hsu's comments about "similar skin colour" were devoid of discriminatory intent and reiterated Taiwan's respect for India's cultural richness. The ministry pledged to leverage India's diverse cultural heritage to promote future labour collaboration between the two countries.