Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) accused designated representative to Washington Jason Yuan (袁健生) of applying for a green card in 2004, urging the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to look into the case.
Kuan said Yuan is still waiting for approval of his green card application, urging the ministry to invite the Ministry of Justice to run a background check on him.
According to regulations published by the Ministry of Civil Service, background checks are required for civil servants in charge of security affairs or affairs involving major interests of the country.
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES
These target individuals “residing overseas and have become eligible for citizenship of the country of residence,” Kuan said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it could not comment on the allegations because Yuan has not been sworn in as the official representative to the US.
The ministry will follow the regulations by making sure that no personnel appointments are contrary to the law, MOFA Spokeswoman Phoebe Yeh (葉非比) said.
She said that so far Washington had not approved Yuan’s appointment.
Kuan attacked Executive Yuan Spokeswoman Vanessa Shih (史亞平) yesterday for arguing that “loyalty should not be a problem for officials holding green cards because a green card is a travel document.”
Yuan made the comments on Thursday when asked about the apology offered by Minister of Foreign Affairs Francisco Ou (歐鴻鍊) for obtaining a green card.
Green card holders are entitled to certain rights and obligations in the US, including paying federal and local taxes and enjoying voting rights in specific elections in some states, Kuan said.
“How would this not involve allegiance? How could it be that a green card is only a travel document?” Kuan asked
The green card issue came to light after Ou admitted that he obtained US permanent resident status in 2005 when he was Taiwan’s ambassador to Guatemala. He only renounced the status one month before assuming his ministerial position on May 20.
Although there are no laws forbidding diplomatic officials from holding permanent resident status of a foreign country, it is argued that holding or applying for a green card calls their allegiance to the country into question.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JENNY W. HSU
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