The Central Election Commission (CEC) said yesterday it would employ the help of foreign diplomatic missions in Taiwan to check if either of the two presidential candidates holds foreign citizenship.
The commission's decision came in the wake of allegations from Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential hopeful Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) that his Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) rival, Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), has a US green card.
Ma recently admitted he had applied for permanent residency when he was studying in the US, but contended that his green card had already expired.
Hsieh insists Ma's green card is still valid.
The DPP candidate accused Ma last month of holding a US green card and early this month disclosed the alleged card number -- "AXXX39789" -- saying it was granted to Ma on Aug. 26, 1977, in New York.
Ma at first denied that he had a green card, but later said he once owned one.
He said he had obtained a green card in 1977, but the green card was automatically invalidated in 1985 when he applied for a visa at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) to travel to the US.
To ensure that neither of the candidates is a citizen of a foreign country, the CEC said it has decided to seek help from foreign diplomatic missions.
"Since the two candidates have clearly said they do not have foreign citizenships, we have decided to get in touch with foreign diplomatic offices and with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ... to confirm that information," CEC Secretary-General Teng Tien-yu (鄧天祐) told reporters yesterday.
If either of the candidates is found to be in possession of foreign citizenship, "his candidacy will be considered void," Teng said.
Hsieh's manager, Lee Ying-yuan (李應元), backed the move.
"We respect and abide by the law," Lee said. "The president of a country should certainly not be a citizen of another country -- a president should not even be only one step away from having another country's citizenship."
Ma yesterday also welcomed the commission's decision.
Ma's spokesman, Su Jun-pin (
"Our rivals made accusations without evidence, but we will not join them," Su said yesterday in front of the commission's office.
In related news, campaign officials from both camps drew lots to decide the order in which the candidates will be listed on the ballot.
Hsieh was represented by his campaign manager, Yeh Chu-lan (葉菊蘭), who drew the number "one."
"Taiwan's No. 1, prosperity all the way," Hsieh's campaign officials shouted outside the CEC's headquarters.
Chanting "Ma-Siew team wins, victory for Taiwan," Ma's campaign director Chan Chun-po (
Chan and Su later joined KMT Youth Corps members outside the CEC, cheering "March 22, cast your vote for number two."
Ma said that he was pleased with the number two, as the hand gesture for two was the same as "V" for victory.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MO YAN-CHIH
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in