Civil servants told to stay away from hookers

TAIPEI - TAIWAN has warned its civil servants against visiting prostitutes in China, fearing that such visits could expose them to pressure by the mainland authorities, a newspaper reported yesterday.

Apply Daily said that last November, several Taiwanese civil servants were forced to write 'letters of remorse' after Chinese police caught them whoring in China.

'They were warned that their friends and the media would receive compromising pictures if they should make pro-independence comments or moves following their return home,' it said.

An official of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council confirmed the council issued a warning to all civil servants, but refused to give details.

'We warned civil servants not to deviate from their scheduled travel itineraries to avoid unnecessary risks and problems,' said Mr Wei Shu-chuan.

The Apply Daily did not identify the civil servants caught in China.

According to Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily, it was only after last October that Taiwanese civil servants under Grade 10 could go on private visits to China without applying for special permission.

Civil servants above that grade are still subject to the requirement.

ASSOCIATED PRESS