Taiwan Labour Minister Hsu Ming-chun has issued an apology after sparking outrage over alleged 'racist' remarks regarding the recruitment of Indian migrant workers.
Ming-chun, in an interview, said the ministry would initially focus on recruiting workers from northeastern India because 'their skin colour and dietary habits are closer to ours".
She went on to say that "individuals in this region, mostly Christians, are skilled in manufacturing, construction, and farming, as per Ministry of Foreign Affairs assessments", reported Central New Agency Taiwan.
The minister later apologised for her comments, pointing out that Taiwan's labour laws aim for equality and does not discriminate anyone, including foreign nationals.
The Labour Ministry also apologised for the minister's "inaccurate" choice of words while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs apologised saying the narratives surrounding the planned recruitment of Indian workers are "not entirely appropriate".
"Taiwan also fully respects India's diverse and rich culture and cherishes the friendship between the peoples of Taiwan and India. It will spare no effort in advancing cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between the two countries, with the aim of further elevating cooperation and partnership between Taiwan and India," added the statement.
