Coming to the Rescue(a)|『他乡贵人　海外急难救助情牵一线』

Coming to the Rescue: MOFA's Emergency Assistance for Taiwanese Travelers

『他乡贵人　海外急难救助情牵一线』

　　Taiwan lifted restrictions on overseas travel more than 30 years ago. Since then, foreign travel has exploded, with Taiwanese making more than 10 million trips abroad in each of the last two years. From this growth, the demand for emergency assistance during travel has likewise increased. For ROC citizens, whether travelers or expatriates, the overseas offices staffed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) are like family overseas, offering timely assistance at moments of greatest need. The emergency call center at Taoyuan International Airport is staffed 24 hours a day. It aims to protect the lives and property of Taiwanese travelers.

　　To ROC travelers facing emergencies abroad, the MOFA personnel who man the toll-free assistance lines are like old friends in a strange land. They do whatever they can to help, no matter when or where travelers find themselves in trouble. The service counter in the departure hall at Taoyuan International Airport offers a leaflet regarding safety when traveling abroad, as well as cards translating relevant sentences in Chinese into English, Japanese, Spanish and Korean. "I am from Taiwan and do not speak your language," one reads. "Could you please provide a Mandarin interpreter?" it continues. "If no one is available, please contact the ROC Embassy or Taiwan Mission in your country. I need their assistance." The emergency assistance numbers of various MOFA offices abroad are also included.

　　In 2012, MOFA developed the Traveler Assistance Abroad Guide smart-phone app, which brings together information about travel advisories, weather, flight information, exchange rates, and procedures for replacing passports, as well as the phone numbers of ROC diplomatic missions abroad to call in the case of emergencies. The app is available free of charge.

他乡贵人　海外急难救助情牵一线

　　台湾在三十多年前开放海外观光。从当时起，出国旅游的人数已有大幅成长，近两年的人数都突破千万。由于出国旅游人数的成长，在旅游期间的海外急难救助需求也随之增加。对于中华民国的国民而言，无论是前往外国旅游的国人或是移居国外的侨民，外交部驻外办事处就好像他们在海外的家，在他们最需要帮助的时候伸出援手。而设立于桃园国际机场的外交部紧急联络中心则是一天二十四小时待命。其目的在保护台湾游客的生命与财产安全。

　　对于在海外面临紧急状况的中华民国国民而言，负责急难救助专线的外交部工作人员就好像在陌生土地上的老朋友。不论游客何时何地发现自己遇到困难，他们都会尽全力提供协助。桃园国际机场出境大厅的服务台有提供有关出国旅游时的安全传单，另外还有将相关中文句子翻译成英文、日文、西班牙文及韩文的旅外国人急难救助卡。其中有一张是这么写的：『我来自台湾，我不会说贵国语言，能否提供中文翻译。』『如果没办法，请您联系我国在贵国的驻外机构，我需要他们的协助。』上面还附有外交部各国外办事处的紧急救助专线电话。

　　外交部在 2012 年开发了『旅外求助指南』的智能型手机应用程序，该应用程序整合了旅游咨询、天候、航班信息、汇率、护照遗失处理程序，以及中华民国驻外办事处的紧急联络电话等信息。该应用程序提供民众免费下载安装。