New Delhi: Condoling the loss of lives due to a powerful earthquake in Taiwan on Wednesday (April 3), Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India stood “in solidarity with the resilient people of Taiwan as they endure the aftermath and recover from it”.
“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to earthquakes in Taiwan today. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured,” Modi also said on X (formerly Twitter).
Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to earthquakes in Taiwan today. Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured. We stand in solidarity with the resilient people of Taiwan as they endure the aftermath and recover from…
Advertisement— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 3, 2024
At least nine people were killed and more than 960 others were injured after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan on Wednesday morning local time.
The director of Taipei’s Seismological Center, Wu Chien-fu, told reporters that the earthquake was “the strongest in 25 years”.
Authorities said late on Wednesday that at least 143 people were still trapped, including 71 miners from two cement companies, hikers in mountain caves and trails, and people in vehicles in tunnels.
Officials warned there may be more tremors in the coming days.
Soon after the earthquake hit, the India-Taipei Association, which India established in 1995 with the aim of facilitating business, tourism and cultural exchange, set up an emergency helpline for Indian nationals living in Taiwan.
“All Indian nationals are further requested to follow advisories issued by the local authorities,” the association said on X.
IMPORTANT ADVISORY
In view of the earthquake striking off the coast of eastern Taiwan during the early hours of Wednesday, 03 April 2024, the following emergency helpline has been setup by India Taipei Association for assistance, guidance, or clarification to all Indian…
Advertisement— India Taipei Association 印度台北協會 (@ita_taipei) April 3, 2024
India and Taiwan have been trying to forge closer ties on the economic front.
Earlier this year, India approved its first semiconductor manufacturing unit, which is part of a $11 billion joint venture between the Tata conglomerate and Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation.
The two countries also signed a labour mobility agreement that will allow the island nation to receive Indian workers to ease its severe labour shortage.
Modi’s statement on the “resilient people of Taiwan” also comes a month after the Taiwanese labour minister suggested that labour from India will be recruited from its northeastern states because people living there had similar skin and dietary habits as Taiwanese people.
“Their skin colour and eating habits are similar to ours. Furthermore, most of them believe in Christianity,” Taiwan’s labour minister Hsu Ming-chun said during a TV interview on March 1.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry issued an apology soon after Hsu’s remarks went viral.
“Recently, in discussions with relevant sectors in Taiwan’s society, certain government agencies have made remarks that were not entirely appropriate … The government expresses sincere apologies over this situation,” a statement by Taiwan’s foreign ministry read.
The Indo-Taiwanese labour agreement was also signed against the background of online backlash that was triggered by a Bloomberg report that said 100,000 Indian workers could apply for jobs in Taiwan.
This led to an explosion of protests on social media in Taiwan, with many expressing concerns that there would be an increase in the crime rate and that women’s safety would be compromised due to the influx of workers.
Hsu had also said during the TV interview that Taiwan had approached Myanmar, Cambodia, and Bangladesh for bringing workers but all three countries demurred under pressure from China.
With inputs from DW.
