An opposition plan to allow Chinese spouses to obtain Republic of China citizenship in a shorter period is “a very serious matter” and would need very careful assessment, due to its potential consequences on national security, government policies and society, Cabinet spokesman Lin Tze-luen (林子倫) said yesterday.
Taiwan People’s Party lawmakers on Wednesday endorsed the plan by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislators to amend the law to allow Chinese spouses to obtain citizenship after four years of marriage, instead of six years.
“We must take into consideration how it would affect aspects of government policies and the consequences, especially on our national security and the impact on our national interest,” Lin said. “The Cabinet has reservations on reducing the number of years required for Chinese spouses [to obtain citizenship].”
Photo: Lo Pei-de, Taipei Times
“The current requirements have not violated the principle of equality, therefore the Mainland Affairs Council [MAC] and the Executive Yuan have no plans to amend the law,” he said.
“Both sides of the Taiwan Strait are still in a state of hostile confrontation. Therefore we must take into account the nation’s interests and potential security issues, as cross-strait relations are very different from relations with other countries,” he added.
Lin said the proposal must be approached cautiously and be evaluated carefully.
MAC Legal Affairs Department senior executive officer Cheng Cheng-hsin (程政心) said such a change would affect the nation’s population composition and cause an increase in population, as Chinese spouses could bring in their family members and relatives from China to live in Taiwan.
“It would have ramifications on Taiwan’s National Health Insurance program, as it could increase the burden on the healthcare system. An assessment by government agencies and medical professionals is necessary,” Cheng said.
The proposal is opposed by Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers in the legislature.
Medical professionals have started an online petition titled “We oppose the abuse of Taiwanese National Health Insurance system and medical resources,” which calls on lawmakers to suspend the draft amendment proposal.
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