The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has amended rules for officials visiting China’s special administrative regions in a bid to curb Chinese influence in Taiwan and protect Taiwanese officials, sources said yesterday.
The amendments to the Regulations for Executive Yuan and Affiliated Organizations and Agencies on Visiting Hong Kong or Macau (行政院及所屬各機關(構)人員赴香港或澳門注意事項) would require those visiting either of the two cities for “non-official reasons” to file reports to the government before and after such visits, the sources said.
Those who travel to the cities without reporting could face disciplinary action, they added.
Photo: Taipei Times
In March, President William Lai (賴清德) sought to address China’s “united front” efforts and other national security threats by announcing 17 countermeasures, including a mandatory disclosure system for all central and local government officials participating in exchanges with China.
The MAC also reviewed laws that it said took into account changes in Hong Kong and Macau.
With Beijing tightening its control over the two cities and reducing their autonomy, it is necessary to bolster risk awareness and disclosure requirements to mitigate potential risks to government personnel during visits to those territories, the sources said.
The main points of the revised rules include the addition of mandatory reporting for non-official travel to Hong Kong or Macau, and for meetings or contacts with specific people from those regions, they said.
The council has also updated related forms to enhance risk management, protect government confidentiality and personal safety, and safeguard national interests and security, they added.
The amendments introduce changes to articles 3 and 4 of the regulations, they said, adding that the revisions would be submitted to the Executive Yuan for approval and implementation.
“As the risks of visiting China, Hong Kong and Macau continue to grow, Taiwan will further strengthen its system of managing government personnel,” they said.
The MAC has already requested the support of the Ministry of Civil Service and the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration, they added.
Separately, the MAC has proposed amendments to the Rules Governing the Enforcement of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職選罷法施行細則).
The proposal, which follows discussions between the MAC and the Central Election Commission (CEC) last month, would require candidates for public office to submit a written affidavit declaring that they do not hold household registration in China.
This is to meet the requirements of 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), which stipulates that those running for office in Taiwan cannot hold household registration, residency or citizenship in China, the MAC said.
The Ministry of the Interior also suggested that the content of these affidavits be published in the official election bulletin and proposed updates to the candidate registration questionnaire.
The interior ministry’s proposal is facilitated by existing laws requiring the publication of candidates’ personal data in election bulletins, the CEC said, adding that it would use the proposal as a basis for further coordination with the MAC, the interior ministry and other agencies.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan
RSS