Taiwan: Assailant injures guard outside Presidential Office August 18

Event

An assailant armed with a samurai sword and carrying a Chinese flag injured a military guard outside of the Presidential Office building in Taipei on Friday, August 18. The attacker was quickly arrested by security forces. Authorities have described the incident as a politically motivated attack.

Context

While Taiwan has effectively operated as an independent country since 1949, China continues to claim its sovereignty over the island. The majority of Taiwanese support its de-facto independence, a minority of groups and individuals continue to argue against it.
Travelers to the country should not that a number of Western countries do not recognize Taiwan as state and hold no diplomatic relations with the country. 

Advice

Individuals present in Taipei are advised to monitor developments and to avoid the Presidential office and surrounding area as a precaution.