President Ma Ying-jeou said Saturday that Burkina Faso will become the 124th nation or region to grant visa-free entry or landing visas to Republic of China (Taiwan) passport holders.
The decision was made earlier in the day by the government of the African ally, the president said at the opening of an exhibition held to mark the Republic of China’s 100th year.
“It is normal to apply for a visa when traveling internationally,” he said. “Visa-free treatment is a privilege.”
Traveling has become easier for Taiwanese because of the many visa waivers the country had obtained, Ma said, as he shared a story of how a friend benefited from the program when taking a trip to Europe.
Taiwan gained visa-free access to 35 nations or regions in the European Union on Jan. 11, 2011. During Ma’s presidency, the number of countries or regions granting visa waivers to Taiwan has risen from 54 to 124.