Legislators yesterday urged the government to investigate the high rates of remarriage among female immigrants from China, citing an example of two Chinese brides who have each married nine times.
DPP Legislator Chien Chao-tong (
Chien said the motivation of these Chinese brides is suspicious as a large number of them are married to military veterans of the Chinese Civil War and World War II, who came to Taiwan with the KMT government when it retreated to Taiwan after defeat in the Chinese civil war of 1949.
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
"Some of them might be involved in fake marriages. Some of them might be married for the old veterans' money. All these things could possibly happen, as we know that many Chinese `brides' really come to Taiwan to work as prostitutes," Chien said.
Chinese nationals can obtain Taiwan residence permits on the strength of marriage to a Taiwan national.
Chien said the statistics have shown that two Chinese brides topped the number of marriages with nine each, followed by three Chinese brides who have married eight times. Chien also revealed that there are 491 who have married four times and 3,000 who have married three times.
Legislator Tang Huo-shen (湯火聖) yesterday said the main reason behind the high number of marriages by Chinese brides is because of the death of their Taiwanese husbands.
"Nearly 8,000 out of the total 12,000 veterans in Taiwan have married Chinese brides, half of which are under the age of 40," Tang said, adding, "Judging from these figures, we could anticipate a high remarriage ratio of brides."
Citing figures from the Ministry of the Interior, Tang said as of the end of last year, the total number of Chinese brides in Taiwan is about 154,000, with numbers estimated to rise to 400,000 by 2016.
In a reference to an oft-voiced concern about immigration from China -- that large numbers of naturalized immigrants from China could exert a pro-China influence on Taiwan's politics and even jeopardize national security -- he said that such a large number of people "is bound to play a role in the election of the president," so the authorities should attach importance to the matter.
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
RSS