Five people have been naturalized since the amended Nationality Act (國籍法) came into effect last year, allowing outstanding applicants to retain their original citizenship, the Ministry of the Interior said on Sunday.
They include Brendan O’Connell (甘惠忠), Andres Diaz de Rabago (賴甘霖), Yves Moal (劉一峰) and Barry Martinson (丁松青), who have become dual citizens in recognition of their contributions to Taiwanese society.
US-born O’Connell, 55, was the first applicant to be given Republic of China citizenship under the new rules. He was personally given his national identification card by Premier Lin Chuan (林全) at a news conference on Jan. 6.
Spanish-born Diaz de Rabago became a dual citizen on April 13 in recognition of his 48 years of service working with the church and the terminally ill.
Diaz de Rabago, who is 100 years old in October, has been awarded the Order of Brilliant Star by the Presidential Office.
French-born Moal, 76, has lived in Hualien for more than 50 years working with disabled people at the Anders Center, raising money by recycling.
He was given citizenship on Thursday.
“I hope people won’t call me a-douzai any more. I hope they will see me as an authentic Taiwanese,” Moal said.
A-douzai means “foreigner” in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese).
Martinson, who moved to Hsinchu’s Wufeng Township (五峰) 42 years ago, established the first nursery in the county’s mountainous region. He has been involved with Aboriginal communities for many years, selling paintings and giving the proceeds to the Choujian Youth Culture Center.
He received his national identification card on March 28.
Department of Household Registration Affairs director Wanda Chang (張琬宜) praised Martinson’s contributions, citing his 40 years working with the Kuangchi Program Service (光啟社) and his work with Aborigines, new immigrants and disabled people.
Chang said she hopes that Martinson’s brother, Jerry Martinson (丁松筠), will also be given dual citizenship.
“Taiwanese are thankful for all they have done, sacrificing their youth for the nation, staying for at least 40 years and not returning to their country of birth,” she said.
Giving one’s whole life to the nation is Taiwanese and makes the person worthy of being recognized as a citizen, she said.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
RSS