Taiwan hikes petrol prices as Iran crisis drags on

Taiwan taxi drivers said on Monday (March 23) that rising petrol prices will have a huge impact on their livelihoods as Iran crisis continues to push global oil prices higher.

Fuel prices in Taiwan increased by $0.05 per litre when the adjustment took effect on Monday.

Wen-ya Chang, a 60-year-old taxi driver, said she is losing income every day because petrol costs are rising while taxi meter fares remain unchanged.

Another driver, 53-year-old Hsiao-wei Huang, said he hopes the Iran crisis will end soon so that fuel prices will eventually drop.

Commuters are also feeling the impact. Gary Chang, 32, said the latest price hike added at least US$15 to the cost of filling up his tank.

The Taiwanese government has raised petrol prices twice since the Iran crisis began.

Production: Yi-Chin Lee and Fabian Hamacher/Reuters