The National Immigration Agency (NIA) yesterday began to accept applications from non-profit organizations (NGOs) and foundation-like legal entities to function as marriage brokers, but some NGOs worry the policy could end up creating a black market in foreign brides.
According to an amendment to the Immigration Act (出入國及移民法) last August, all marriage broker companies must become non-profit organizations or funded legal entities by August in order to continue in business. NGOs are prohibited from engaging in any profit-making activities, such as signing contracts or demanding commission fees. Violators will be fined NT$10,000 to NT$100,000.
Father Peter Nguyen, the founder and director of the Vietnamese Migrant Workers and Brides Office in Hsinchu, deemed the policy “inappropriate” and counterproductive.
“The purpose of NGOs is to do what the government cannot do, not what businesses cannot do. Besides, how does the government expect companies to survive if they cannot make any money,” he said, worrying the lack of incentive might drive businesses into the black market which would only further erode Taiwan’s human trafficking situation.
“I am quite puzzled why the government chose to take the NGO route. Is it because crooked NGOs are easier to nab? Where is the logic behind the policy?” Nguyen asked.
A professional match-making company owner who asked to be identified as Ah-hsing (阿星) said business will definitely be affected adversely by the new policy.
“What can I say? All we can do it is abide by the law,” he said, refusing to elaborate how he plans make money after his company becomes a non-profit group.
Ah-hsing’s company Web site contains over 300 pictures of available girls along with their biographies The company charges anywhere from NT$120,000 to NT$220,000 for each transaction, according to the site.
Also See: COMMUNITY COMPASS: Mixed couples divorce in droves
Taiwan would benefit from more integrated military strategies and deployments if the US and its allies treat the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea as a “single theater of operations,” a Taiwanese military expert said yesterday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said he made the assessment after two Japanese military experts warned of emerging threats from China based on a drill conducted this month by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) Eastern Theater Command. Japan Institute for National Fundamentals researcher Maki Nakagawa said the drill differed from the
‘WORSE THAN COMMUNISTS’: President William Lai has cracked down on his political enemies and has attempted to exterminate all opposition forces, the chairman said The legislature would motion for a presidential recall after May 20, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said yesterday at a protest themed “against green communists and dictatorship” in Taipei. Taiwan is supposed to be a peaceful homeland where people are united, but President William Lai (賴清德) has been polarizing and tearing apart society since his inauguration, Chu said. Lai must show his commitment to his job, otherwise a referendum could be initiated to recall him, he said. Democracy means the rule of the people, not the rule of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), but Lai has failed to fulfill his
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
A rally held by opposition parties yesterday demonstrates that Taiwan is a democratic country, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that if opposition parties really want to fight dictatorship, they should fight it on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) held a protest with the theme “against green communists and dictatorship,” and was joined by the Taiwan People’s Party. Lai said the opposition parties are against what they called the “green communists,” but do not fight against the “Chinese communists,” adding that if they really want to fight dictatorship, they should go to the right place and face
RSS