President Ma Ying-jeou says that Taiwan will continue to combat international human trafficking. He was speaking Friday at a completion of training ceremony for newly recruited immigration officers.
President Ma said that the US State Department has given Taiwan top marks in its annual reports on countering human trafficking for six consecutive years.
Ma also said that Taiwan will continue to welcome overseas travelers. Ma said that Taiwan saw only 3.91 million overseas visitors in 2007, the year before he took office. He said that by contrast, Taiwan expects to welcome 10.3 million international visitors by the end of this year.
The president spoke about the importance of immigration officers’ work.
"Opening up might bring crises or crime. We rely on our outstanding immigration officers to help control the borders," Ma said. "They need to control people going in and out of the country appropriately to protect the country’s security without inconveniencing travelers."