The Chinese Consulate General in Istanbul has assisted a group of tourists from the Taiwan region to return home, after they were stranded in Türkiye due to the escalating tensions in the Middle East.
After being stranded for about five days, the 93 Taiwan compatriots started to board China Eastern Airlines’ flights to Shanghai in batches.
This group of Taiwan compatriots were from three Middle Eastern tour groups arranged by the same travel agency in Taiwan.
They had originally planned to return to Taipei via Abu Dhabi, UAE, after their Istanbul trip. However, following the US-Israel military strikes against Iran on Feb 28, many Middle Eastern countries closed their airspace, leading to the cancellation of numerous flights.
"To be honest, I've never encountered this situation in my entire life," said one of the Taiwan compatriots.
"My teacher kept calling to ask when I'd be back because I was constantly revising my leave application, they thought I was missing," said another.
During their stay, the group members changed their tickets at least four times, but the flight schedules all showed indefinite delays, causing them great anxiety.
"In the past few days, we've seen news from the mainland saying they can help us by sending planes to expedite our return," said another tourist from Taiwan.
"These Taiwan compatriots contacted our Consulate General in Istanbul through the consular protection hotline. Our consulate leadership attached great importance to this situation and immediately coordinated with relevant domestic departments, including immigration and border control, as well as airlines, to coordinate getting them on board," said Sui Kaige, director of Consular Affairs Section at the Chinese Consulate General in Istanbul.
"We also provide Taiwan compatriots with assurances on flight seats to meet their needs," said Li Ge, general manager of China Eastern Airlines' Istanbul office.
Chinese Consulate General in Istanbul assists stranded Taiwan compatriots to return home
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, and all acts of attacking civilians and non-military targets should be condemned.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a phone conversation with Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.
Zayani briefed Wang on the regional situation and the Bahraini position, saying that Bahrain has always been a peace-loving country and should not be subject to unlawful attacks.
The Bahraini side expressed its appreciation and gratitude for China's just stance while voicing its willingness to work with Gulf countries and China to strengthen communication and coordination at both bilateral and multilateral platforms, including the United Nations, so as to achieve regional peace and stability at an early date.
Bahrain will continue to take strong measures to safeguard the security of Chinese personnel and institutions, he said.
For his part, Wang said that the situation in the Gulf region is rapidly escalating and the security of Bahrain has also been compromised, which is of deep concern to China.
China's position is consistent and clear: the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, and attacks on civilians and non-military targets should be condemned, he said.
The top priority is to immediately cease military operations to prevent the further spread of conflicts, Wang said.
The path to a breakthrough lies in returning to dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible, so as to strive to restore peace, he said, adding that the lasting solution is an unwavering commitment to jointly abide by international law and the fundamental norms of international relations.
As a strategic partner of the Gulf countries and a responsible major country, China has been actively promoting peace and stopping wars, Wang said.
The Chinese government's special envoy on the Middle East issue is currently shuttling through the region for visits and will also visit Bahrain, he said, adding that China will continue to play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and stability in the Gulf region.
Wang also expressed hope that the Bahraini side will continue to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in Bahrain.
Chinese FM says all acts of attacking civilians, non-military targets should be condemned
