The Ministry of the Interior yesterday issued a NT$500,000 fine to Ling Yu-shih (凌友詩), a Republic of China citizen, for accepting an official position in China.
According to the Web site of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Ling accepted a seat at the organization as a representative of the China Taiwanese Association, a private organization established to “serve as a bridge and link between the ruling [Chinese Communist] party and government, and Taiwanese compatriots,” the ministry said in a statement.
As Ling also spoke at the fourth plenary meeting of the second session of the 13th CPPCC in Beijing on Monday — expressing “great anticipation” for Taiwan’s unification with China — she has clearly breached the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), the ministry said.
Article 33 of the act prohibits Taiwanese from holding a position at, or becoming a member of, any agencies, institutions or organizations affiliated with Chinese political parties, or military or administrative bodies.
Those who contravene the article face a fine of between NT$100,000 and NT$500,000.
Ling is a citizen with household registration in Taiwan, so the rules still apply to her, the ministry said.
“Given that the position Ling occupies is at a national political organization of the Chinese Communist Party that wields great influence in the mainland area, as well as her extremely inappropriate pro-unification remarks at the fourth plenary meeting of the second session of the 13th CPPCC, we decided to impose on her the highest possible fine of NT$500,000,” it said.
The ministry urged Taiwanese to abide by the act and other regulations when engaging in cross-strait exchanges.
Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said that the fine could be issued repeatedly if Ling remains a CPPCC member.
“Of course, she might ignore the fines and remain in China,” Chiu said, adding that the government is mulling amendments that would also allow authorities to revoke household registration if actions seriously undermine national interests.
Under existing laws, only nationals who are found to hold a People’s Republic of China passport or have a household registration in China face revocation of citizenship, he said.
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