Racism: Taiwan minister apologizes for commenting on Indian migrants’ skin color
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Racism sits skin-deep all over the world and the color of one’s skin often looks controversial—to the onlooker.
That is why Taiwan, with which India has only business relations—not diplomatic or political—realized its faux pas.
Taiwan Labour Minister Hsu Ming-chun on Tuesday apologized for her controversial comments on the recruitment of Indian migrant workers after receiving backlash over them, CNA English News reported.
Appearing on an online talk show with host Wang Shih-chin on February 29, Hsu said that Taiwan’s Labor Ministry will first recruit Indian workers from northeastern Indian states because “their skin color and dietary habits are closer to ours.”
Explaining that the strategy was based on Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) assessments, Hsu said, that the Indians in those states are “mostly Christians” who are adept at manufacturing, construction, and farming.
Taiwan and India signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last month, showcasing a willingness to make India a source of Taiwan’s migrant workforce.
Speaking at a legislative hearing early Tuesday, Hsu apologized for her “inaccurate” choice of words, stating that Taiwan’s labor policies, whether directed at local or foreign workers, are crafted with equality in mind and are never discriminating, the media reported.
Soon after Hsu’s comments on the online talk show, Legislator Chen Kuan-ting of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, shared a video on X (formerly Twitter), “strongly condemned” them, and said, “As a member of Parliament, I want to reaffirm that Taiwan values everyone, irrespective of their race, culture, or religion. It is my firm belief that individuals from all backgrounds deserve respect, and I am committed to upholding this principle in Taiwan.”
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ROC (Taiwan) also apologized for the comments which were “not entirely appropriate.” “This has led to criticism among Taiwan’s society, Indian friends, and other international stakeholders. The government expresses sincere apologies for this situation. It will earnestly review its actions and make needed improvements going forward.”
“Taiwan boasts a civil society that embraces different views and allows for a wide array of voices to be heard. 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,” the statement said.
In November 2023, a Bloomberg news report said India and Taiwan were in discussions about sending “tens of thousands of workers to the island as early as next month” which produced concerns among social media users in Taiwan, which they claimed was a “surge of racist remarks belittling Indian workers.”
