Taiwan’s representatives in US provided with car plates similar to other diplomats
Issue of new ‘E’ plates seen as sign of improving ties between Taipei and Washington
Taiwan’s representatives in the United States have been given vehicle licence plates similar to those for diplomats, in what is viewed as further improvement in US-Taiwan relations since the two sides severed official ties in 1979.
Anna Kao, a spokeswoman for Taiwan’s foreign ministry, said the new provision, which came into effect on Tuesday, follows an agreement signed with Washington in 2013 that grants certain immunity and tax exemptions to Taiwan’s officials stationed in the US.
Under the new measure, the Office of Foreign Missions has issued new licence plates starting with the letter “E” to Taiwan foreign service officials stationed in the US, allowing them to enjoy similar immunity to diplomats from other countries.
Kao said this indicated that US-Taiwan relations had improved steadily as Taiwan’s representatives had not been given diplomatic licence plates since Washington switched official recognition to Beijing in 1979.
But Stephen Chen, the former head of Taiwan’s mission to the US, said car plates issued to countries with full diplomatic relations start with the letters D for Diplomat or C for Consul, with the words also spelled in full across the top, but there were no such words on the “E” plates.