Taiwan election candidate slammed for 'discriminatory' anti-Indian billboard
What's the story
A local election campaign in Taiwan has sparked controversy after a candidate used the Indian national flag and a turbaned Sikh man in an anti-immigration billboard. The advertisement was put up by Lee Hung-yi, an independent candidate contesting city council elections in Kaohsiung City. The billboard featured a large prohibition symbol over the Indian flag and the Sikh man's image, sparking accusations of racism online.
Cultural insensitivity
Billboard 'blatant, direct racial discrimination': Indian resident
Critics have slammed the billboard for crossing the line from criticizing policy to racially targeting Indians. An Indian resident in Taiwan called it "blatant and direct racial discrimination" in a social media post. They argued that while immigration policy can be debated, "expressing it in this way really doesn't seem right," suggesting the campaign weaponized physical appearance and cultural identity to incite resentment against Indians.
Labor agreement
Taiwan to recruit Indian migrant workers
The controversy comes as Taiwan plans to gradually recruit Indian migrant workers under a labor cooperation agreement signed with India in 2024. The program seeks to address labor shortages in manufacturing, caregiving and agriculture sectors as Taiwan grapples with an aging population and workforce decline. Lee told CNA on Wednesday that he was not opposed to migrant workers in general, but he was particularly opposed to the policy of admitting migrant workers from India.
Twitter Post
Video shows billboard on building
Lee Hung-yi, running for city council in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ran a “no” sign over a man with a turban and an Indian flag. Says he doesn’t like Indian labor.
— Jared Taylor (@RealJarTaylor) May 14, 2026
Indians are roaring, but Lee not backing down. No Indians! pic.twitter.com/NVrPo0nfkz
Public discourse
Taiwan could bring 1,000 Indian workers this year
He said the policy to open up to Indian migrant workers lacked proper supporting measures and management regulations, which was "concerning." Taiwan's Labor Minister Hung Sun-han has revealed that the country could initially admit around 1,000 Indian workers under a pilot phase in 2026. He stated that Taipei and New Delhi were still working on administrative procedures, document verification, and health checks.
Program
Legislator cited NCRB data to highlight crimes against women
The program has also been criticized by the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), which fears "runaway" Indian migrant workers could pose threats to women's safety. KMT legislator Huang Chien-pin recently cited India's National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data in Taiwan's legislature. He pointed to over 445,000 reported crimes against women in India in 2022, including more than 31,000 rapes. Huang argued these statistics raised concerns over admitting Indian migrant workers and called for tighter scrutiny of the program.