離開
進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Agency recognizes misuse of photograph in passport
A sample passport with images of an airplane and an airport is displayed in Taipei yesterday. Photo: CNA
‘THE 51ST STATE’: The controversy started with a post by a netizen comparing a picture of a sample with a photograph of Washington Dulles International Airport
By Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter
The Bureau of Consular Affairs yesterday acknowledged that it mistakenly used a photograph of Washington Dulles International Airport in the design of the new version of its biometric passport, saying that 285 copies would be recalled.
Bureau Deputy Director-General Christine Tsai （蔡幼文） told an impromptu news conference in Taipei that the designer of the passport had used a photograph of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 1 prior to its remodeling as the basis for her draft sketch, but later tried to “further beautify” the design based on a misidentified photograph she found online.
“To add more elements to her sketch, she found a photograph that was [incorrectly] marked as Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and used it as a reference for retouching,” Tsai said, adding that the picture turned out to be that of the airport in the US capital.
The bureau is to contact all 285 people who have received the new version of the passport — which only went into circulation on Monday — and would issue them a new one after the mistake is corrected, she said.
The bureau plans to replace the flawed pages with a new design in the remaining copies of the first batch of 200,000 passports, Tsai said, adding that it would hold those involved responsible.
Passport Administration Division Director Ben Wang （王北平） said that although there was no precedent, the cost to correct the mistake would likely be shouldered by the Central Engraving and Printing Plant, which was responsible for the passport’s design and manufacture.
The plant, a subsidiary of the central bank, is also tasked with printing the nation’s banknotes, bonds and stamps.
The news conference was called hours after officials from related government agencies, including the bureau and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, earlier in the day flatly rejected allegations of a misused photograph.
At a routine news conference in Taipei in the morning, ministry deputy spokeswoman Joanne Ou （歐佳安） said the production process for the new passport was extremely rigorous and that the picture in question is “Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport ... and is 100 percent Taiwan.”
The hand-drawn pictures on the passport’s inner pages featured characteristic landmarks from various parts of the nation to highlight Taiwan’s special features, Ou said.
The controversy began yesterday after a netizen posted a photograph of an inner page of a sample new passport on a Facebook group created for “explosive revelations,” comparing it with a photograph of the US airport.
“The Republic of China’s new passport officially declares Taiwan as the 51st state of America, featuring Dulles International Airport in the fifth page of a passport designed to highlight Taiwanese scenery,” the netizen said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
