Citing media reports that human trafficking rings have smuggled Chinese citizens into the US by falsifying or tampering with Republic of China passports, Stanton said the problem is the absence of the requirement that Taiwanese must apply for their passports in person.
With cross-strait exchanges continuing to expand and the number of Chinese tourist arrivals increasing significantly, the problem could become even more serious, to the point that US immigration officers would routinely suspect incoming tourists with Taiwanese passports of hailing from China, Stanton said.
The large number of human trafficking cases has led US officials to exercise more caution than usual in immigration interviews with Republic of China passport holders, Stanton said.
Pointing out that it is normally the case around the world that people must apply in person for their passports, Stanton said he hoped Taiwan would adopt the practice soon.
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