Taiwan urges Philippines to lift travel ban on Taiwanese amid coronavirus fear

Filipinos, voluntarily evacuated due to the coronavirus outbreak, board a plane from Wuhan, Hubei, China, February 9, 2020. Courtesy of Department of Foreign Affairs/Handout via REUTERS

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan urged the Philippines on Tuesday to lift a travel ban on its citizens after Philippine airlines cancelled flights to Taiwan following a government ban on all foreigners travelling from the island to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou made the comments at a regular news briefing in Taipei, adding that some Taiwanese were stranded at airports in the Philippines after the ban was announced earlier this week.