Almost 6,000 veterans in China

A total of 5,918 elderly veterans who have legally resettled in China are receiving monthly living stipends from the government, a senior official of the Veterans Affairs Commission (VAC) said yesterday.

Fielding questions at a meeting of the legislature's Defense Committee, VAC Vice Chairman Wu Chi-liang (吳其樑) said the average age of these veterans is over 79.

According to a commission assessment, Wu said, the resettlement of these veterans in China can help reduce the government's burden of caring for them.

Wu was responding to a question from DPP Legislator Chiou Chuei-chen (邱垂貞) about the commission's stance on the government's plan to cancel the NT$13,100 monthly stipend for veterans who have either resettled in China or obtained PRC passports.

Wu said the commission's main mission is to take care of all retired service members.

"But the commission will abide by all relevant government regulations in its operations," he said.

Wu noted that veterans must receive commission approval to resettle in China.

"And so long as their applications are formally approved, they can continue receiving living stipends from the government," he said.

Wu said veterans who want to move to China must meet three requirements -- no family in Taiwan, relatives in China and Beijing's approval for the move.

The Mainland Affairs Council has drafted a package of revisions to the Statute Governing the Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例). If the package is passed, veterans living in China will not get the stipend, although this provision will not be retroactive.