TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) denied media reports Wednesday (May 5) that Taiwan’s representative offices in India had advised last week that all Taiwanese in the South Asian country should leave due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Taiwanese news agency UDN alleged that MOFA had on May 3 decided against the supposed suggestion by its representatives in India.

MOFA said in a statement that this report was erroneous and that UDN reporters had never asked the ministry for its opinion on the story.

Ever since the start of the pandemic, Taiwanese officials in India have maintained close contact with Taiwanese residents and business people in the country, providing them with information and assistance, MOFA said.

At present, no country has announced it is considering a full-scale evacuation of its citizens from India. Foreign governments are only assisting those who want to leave, according to the MOFA statement.

Last year, three special charter flights carried 250 Taiwanese citizens home from India, while 750 Taiwanese residents and business people left on other flights.

On Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Tien Chung-kwang (田中光) told lawmakers that MOFA was discussing with travel agencies the possibility of organizing flights for those Taiwanese who want to depart India. A staff member of a Taiwanese office in India who was infected with the coronavirus will be transported to a nearby safe country by an insurance company plane, Tien confirmed.