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Illegal immigration root of evils

The SARS outbreak in Taiwan has finally made people realize the high risk of the spread of communicable diseases through cross-strait contact. But the threats posed by China to Taiwan through cross-strait exchanges are by no means limited to the spread of viruses.

After cross-strait exchanges became more frequent, Chinese people began to find ways, both legal and illegal, to stay in Taiwan, so as to either work illegally or engage in prostitution. This has not only caused a surge in the crime rate, creating serious social problems, but some Chinese people with a political agenda have also been known to seize the opportunity to wage a propaganda campaign on unification and pass on military secrets to China. This constitutes a major threat to national security and the national interest. The scariest thing about such threats from China is that they are latent. Few people realize their existence. These underlying dangers are often ignored.

Illegal immigration from China has become a serious blind spot in national security. It should not be ignored by people here. According to a report submitted by the Ministry of Interior to the Executive Yuan, there is no end to the problems created by such aliens, including the use of counterfeit documents, taking on jobs without work permits, smuggling, overstaying, illegally taking on others' identities and claiming various government subsidies with false identities.

The problems are especially serious among Chinese immigrants. According to police statistics, between July 1992 through the end of last year, a total of 25,232 Chinese entered the country illegally. In recent years, the number of stowaways arrested has been decreasing to around 2,000 a year. But mostly this is the result of relaxed government regulations under which legal loopholes or illegal cover-ups such as bogus marriages are made possible.

Many Chinese who enter the country under false legal pretenses do not reside in their registered residencies, making it impossible for the police to locate their whereabouts. The number of people in this group has been increasing from 383 in 1998 to the peak last year of 2,668. Between January and April 18 this year, 1,100 are missing. The number is predicted to continue rising at an amazing rate.

While this nation has forsaken the goal of retaking the mainland, China does not even bother to conceal its ambitions toward Taiwan, still refusing to denounce the use of force. In view of the cross-strait standoff, what does the daily increase in the number of missing Chinese here tell us? Are these people simply here to work and earn some money or are they up to something else?

The government must probe this problem and find answers so as to safeguard national security. Since Taiwan has democratized, the unification-independence dispute has become increasingly fierce. The security mechanism of society has become fragile as well. With a backdrop of political polarization, much room exists for China to make waves and create havoc.

The rise in the number of missing Chinese will surely become a time bomb hidden in various corners of the country. It may ignite political unrest and rifts at any time. In particular, after the end of martial law, Taiwan has not only become politically open, but relaxed in the military domain as well, giving opportunities for infiltration and espionage by China. Moreover, national security and intelligence units have repeatedly warned about Chinese spies hiding in Taiwan. Government units must pay attention to the movements of Chinese here. Otherwise, once any mishaps take place, the damage to national security will be irreparable.

Moreover, the government should focus on the problems posed by Chinese women who come to this country to engage in prostitution either as stowaways or through bogus marriages, as well as Chinese working illegally in Taiwan. The number of illegal activities conducted by Chinese has been on the rise. Among them, prostitution by Chinese women is the most common. The number of Chinese women engaging in prostitution here has increased from 91 in 1998 to 1,967 last year, and these are only the Chinese prostitutes who have been caught.

The prostitution industry in Taiwan has followed the path of its counterpart in Hong Kong, meaning that most prostitutes come from China. What is worrisome is that, while in the past Chinese prostitutes mostly stowed away to enter Taiwan, these days Taiwan has relaxed the regulations concerning cross-strait marriages, making it possible for smuggling rings to arrange for bogus marriages for money. As a result, many Chinese prostitutes have been able to openly enter the country.

Taiwan has essentially opened its gates for unrestricted entry by Chinese women. Besides prostitution, it has also become increasingly prevalent for Chinese to otherwise work illegally in Taiwan, indirectly robbing Taiwanese of job opportunities.

The number of Chinese in Taiwan is increasing rapidly. To them, marrying a Taiwanese is still the quickest way to enter the country. The Straits Exchange Foundation has certified marriage certificates for close to 190,000 cross-strait couples. The number is increasing by 30,000 each year. Therefore, Chinese spouses have become the largest alien population in the country. But the fact is that divergent economic, political and social environments, and cultural values and educational systems on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have resulted in many unsettling elements in these marriages. Yet people's fever and craze toward cross-strait marriages remain unabated, creating population pressure in the country.

Only high-quality immigrants can bring progress to their new home. For example, the US acceptance of the elite from all parts of the world has made possible rapid rises in its economy and technological advancements, turning it into a superpower. But, in contrast, Chinese who come to Taiwan, whether through legal or illegal means, often make a living through either their bodies or manual labor. This not only fails to help Taiwan's economy, but also strains social welfare resources, posing problems for national security and crime rates.

These are problems that the people of Taiwan must face up to and ponder.
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