The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday asked for a special task force to investigate whether any lawmakers hold dual citizenship.
"We will file an official proposal asking Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (
Lai's announcement follows a story in the latest edition of the Chinese-language Next Magazine, which said that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Diane Lee (
PHOTO: CHU PEI-HSIUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Article 20 of the Nationality Law (
If found to hold dual citizenship, deputy caucus whip Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) said Lee would be required to return income estimated at NT$100 million (US$3.2 million).
Chiu said Lee earned approximately NT$19 million during her term as a Taipei City councilor between 1994 and 1998. Since 1998, Chiu said, Lee earned another NT$78 million as a lawmaker.
"In addition to leaving the legislature, she would be required to return the money," Chiu said.
Approached for comment, Lee dismissed the allegations.
Lee said she was granted a US green card approximately 20 years ago when her husband was working in the US. She said she obtained permanent residency in 1985 and US citizenship in 1991.
Showing the media two Taiwanese passports and two used US visitor's visas, Lee said she had given up her US citizenship after returning to Taiwan to serve as a government official.
"For many years, I've used my Taiwanese passport and US [visitor's] visas [to enter the US]," she said.
Lee declined to specify when and how she had given up her US citizenship.
Additional reporting by Flora Wang
Trips for more than 100,000 international and domestic air travelers could be disrupted as China launches a military exercise around Taiwan today, Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said yesterday. The exercise could affect nearly 900 flights scheduled to enter the Taipei Flight Information Region (FIR) during the exercise window, it added. A notice issued by the Chinese Civil Aviation Administration showed there would be seven temporary zones around the Taiwan Strait which would be used for live-fire exercises, lasting from 8am to 6pm today. All aircraft are prohibited from entering during exercise, it says. Taipei FIR has 14 international air routes and
Taiwan lacks effective and cost-efficient armaments to intercept rockets, making the planned “T-Dome” interception system necessary, two experts said on Tuesday. The concerns were raised after China’s military fired two waves of rockets during live-fire drills around Taiwan on Tuesday, part of two-day exercises code-named “Justice Mission 2025.” The first wave involved 17 rockets launched at 9am from Pingtan in China’s Fujian Province, according to Lieutenant General Hsieh Jih-sheng (謝日升) of the Office of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Intelligence at the Ministry of National Defense. Those rockets landed 70 nautical miles (129.6km) northeast of Keelung without flying over Taiwan,
City buses in Taipei and New Taipei City, as well as the Taipei MRT, would on Saturday begin accepting QR code payments from five electronic payment providers, the Taipei Department of Transportation said yesterday. The new option would allow passengers to use the “transportation QR code” feature from EasyWallet, iPass Money, iCash Pay, Jkopay or PXPay Plus. Passengers should open their preferred electronic payment app, select the “transportation code” — not the regular payment code — unlock it, and scan the code at ticket readers or gates, General Planning Division Director-General Liu Kuo-chu (劉國著) said. People should move through the
The Ministry of National Defense (MND) today released images of the military tracking China’s People's Liberation Army (PLA) movements during the latest round of Chinese drills around Taiwan. The PLA began "Justice Mission 2025" drills today, carrying out live-fire drills, simulated strikes on land and maritime targets, and exercises to blockade the nation's main ports. The exercises are to continue tomorrow, with the PLA announcing sea and air space restrictions for five zones around Taiwan for 10 hours starting from 8:30am. The ministry today released images showing a Chinese J-16 fighter jet tracked by a F-16V Block 20 jet and the
RSS