Taiwan would soon unveil new rules banning Taiwanese residents of China from reclaiming their citizenship if they participated in Beijing’s propaganda activities, the Ministry of the Interior said on Monday.
The measures were drafted following President William Lai’s (賴清德) March 13 directive that the government counter China’s espionage and influence campaigns aimed at undermining Taiwan’s sovereignty, the ministry said in a preview of the rules.
The changes would affect Taiwanese who lost their citizenship after becoming permanent residents of China or obtaining passports issued by China, it said.
Photo: Reuters
Under the measures, former Taiwanese nationals living in China who had made statements denying the nation’s sovereignty or right to exist, committed acts of espionage, or betrayed national security secrets or critical intellectual properties could be stripped of their right to reclaim citizenship, it said.
The ban would apply to those who represented Chinese commercial entities illegally operating in Taiwan, contravened rules governing movements across national borders, sabotaged critical infrastructure or fomented social unrest, it said.
The proposed rules would allow former Taiwanese nationals living in China to reclaim their citizenship only if they have made a significant contribution to Taiwan’s military defense, global image or social stability, it said.
Some Taiwanese residing in China might be allowed to reclaim their citizenship based on humanitarian concerns, the ministry said.
People eligible for the exemption include those who emigrated to China as children by the act of their legal guardians, have close familial ties in Taiwan or are in poor health, it said.
Reclaiming Taiwanese citizenship requires applicants to renounce their residency in China or surrender their Chinese passport with certifications issued by an appropriate authority, it said.
Adult applicants seeking to reclaim citizenship must also provide documentation certified by a Taiwanese representative office showing that they did not commit a serious criminal offense abroad.
Those who invoke humanitarian concerns must prove their claims by presenting documentation or other evidence, the ministry said.
The National Immigration Agency would be responsible of approving requests for restoring Taiwanese citizenship in collaboration with other government entities, it said.
Chinese nationals who previously had Taiwanese citizenship and then returned to China would not be affected by the new measures, it said.
Separately, the Ministry of Culture has launched two investigations into Taiwanese celebrities and influencers suspected of spreading pro-China propaganda on Beijing’s behalf, an official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Last year, about 20 celebrities, including high-profile musician and performer Ouyang Nana (歐陽娜娜), shared a social media post of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) that read: “Taiwan has been a part of China since ancient times and there is only one China.”
At the time, the PLA was conducting its “Joint Sword-2024B” military exercises around Taiwan.
In March, Ouyang again joined influencers and celebrities in reposting a comment by Beijing-run China Central Television saying that Taiwan’s unification with China is “inevitable.”
The investigations center on whether the celebrities had collaborated with Chinese officials, and whether they voluntarily reposted the comments or were pressured by their agents or managers, the official said.
Conducting political activities in cooperation with Chinese officials is punishable by a fine of NT$100,000 to NT$500,000 under 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), they said.
Most celebrities under investigation had responded in writing to renounce knowledge of the posts, deny agreement with the content or plead that they were ignorant of the law, the official said.
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