Chinese prostitutes entering the Marshal Islands are reportedly using Fiji and Kiribati as transit points. Marshal government officials say the prostitutes avoid going through Guam because they need American visas to do so. Taiwan's Ambassador to the Marshals, Chen Lien Gene, told the Taipei Times that getting U.S visas is very difficult for Chinese citizens.
The Marshall Islands Visitors Authority chairman, Kirtley Pinho says the prostitutes' ply their trade primarily on fishing vessels anchored in the country's lagoons. Seamen from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are the most frequent visitors to the Chinese prostitutes. He says it is difficult to calculate the number of Chinese prostitutes in the Marshall Islands.
There are 298 illegal Chinese immigrants in the Marshals, according to figures released by the Taiwanese Embassy. The Marshal Islands recently passed legislation on prostitution.