TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA, 外交部) said on Monday (July 1) that it is investigating with Palauan authorities the incident of customs officials searching a Taiwanese woman surnamed Li during her visit to Palau.
Li recounted that customs officials took her to a small room and asked her to undress for an inspection during her visit to Palau. This experience left her feeling humiliated, leading her to protest at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the previous day.
MOFA expressed deep concern over Li's incident and immediately contacted Palauan authorities. The ministry stated that they had made multiple calls to Li through the embassy staff, expressing the government's concern and care. MOFA instructed the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the Republic of Palau (駐帛琉大使館) to verify the incident with relevant Palauan departments.
Palau emphasized that the search was conducted according to law and applied equally to Palauan citizens and foreign visitors. They insisted that there was no discrimination against Li or individuals from specific countries and asked for Taiwan's understanding.
Commenting on the incident, the embassy emphasized to the Palauan government that border enforcement should respect the rights of international travelers and properly explain their actions during security checks to avoid misunderstandings. According to MOFA, Palau had stated that they would continue to optimize related procedures in the future.