RIYADH, 17 April 2003 — The Economic and Trade Representative Office of Taipei has appealed to the Saudi government to exclude its nationals from the list of those whose entry into the Kingdom is prohibited as a precautionary measure against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Younus Ma, press counselor at the Taipei Economic and Trade Representative Office, said that 24 Taiwanese IT companies will be unable to participate in GITEX Saudi Arabia 2003, as the Ministry of Health has banned the entry of nationals from four countries, including Taiwan. Ma pointed out that the World Health Organization (WHO) had announced travel advice restrictions only for Hong Kong and Guangdong in China.