Taiwan urges Philippines to lift travel ban on Taiwanese amid coronavirus fear


By Reuters 

Taiwan urged the Philippines on Tuesday to lift a travel ban on its citizens after Philippine airlines canceled flights to Taiwan following a government ban on all foreigners traveling from the island to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Filipinos, voluntarily evacuated due to the coronavirus outbreak, board a plane from Wuhan, Hubei, China, February 9, 2020.(Courtesy of Department of Foreign Affairs/Handout via REUTERS / MANILA BULLETIN) Filipinos, voluntarily evacuated due to the coronavirus outbreak, board a plane from Wuhan, Hubei, China, February 9, 2020.(Courtesy of Department of Foreign Affairs/Handout via REUTERS / MANILA BULLETIN)

Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou made the comments at a regular news briefing in Taipei, adding that some Taiwanese were stranded at airports in the Philippines after the ban was announced earlier this week.

Read more: Cebu Pac, PAL cancel flights to Taipei