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.
Conflict with Taiwan could leave China with “massive economic disruption, catastrophic military losses, significant social unrest, and devastating sanctions,” a US think tank said in a report released on Monday. The German Marshall Fund released a report titled If China Attacks Taiwan: The Consequences for China of “Minor Conflict” and “Major War” Scenarios. The report details the “massive” economic, military, social and international costs to China in the event of a minor conflict or major war with Taiwan, estimating that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could sustain losses of more than half of its active-duty ground forces, including 100,000 troops. Understanding Chinese
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it is closely monitoring developments in Venezuela, and would continue to cooperate with democratic allies and work together for regional and global security, stability, and prosperity. The remarks came after the US on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was later flown to New York along with his wife. The pair face US charges related to drug trafficking and alleged cooperation with gangs designated as terrorist organizations. Maduro has denied the allegations. The ministry said that it is closely monitoring the political and economic situation
UNRELENTING: China attempted cyberattacks on Taiwan’s critical infrastructure 2.63 million times per day last year, up from 1.23 million in 2023, the NSB said China’s cyberarmy has long engaged in cyberattacks against Taiwan’s critical infrastructure, employing diverse and evolving tactics, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said yesterday, adding that cyberattacks on critical energy infrastructure last year increased 10-fold compared with the previous year. The NSB yesterday released a report titled Analysis on China’s Cyber Threats to Taiwan’s Critical Infrastructure in 2025, outlining the number of cyberattacks, major tactics and hacker groups. Taiwan’s national intelligence community identified a large number of cybersecurity incidents last year, the bureau said in a statement. China’s cyberarmy last year launched an average of 2.63 million intrusion attempts per day targeting Taiwan’s critical
‘SLICING METHOD’: In the event of a blockade, the China Coast Guard would intercept Taiwanese ships while its navy would seek to deter foreign intervention China’s military drills around Taiwan this week signaled potential strategies to cut the nation off from energy supplies and foreign military assistance, a US think tank report said. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted what it called “Justice Mission 2025” exercises from Monday to Tuesday in five maritime zones and airspace around Taiwan, calling them a warning to “Taiwanese independence” forces. In a report released on Wednesday, the Institute for the Study of War said the exercises effectively simulated blocking shipping routes to major port cities, including Kaohsiung, Keelung and Hualien. Taiwan would be highly vulnerable under such a blockade, because it
RSS