A national security official yesterday warned of national security risks in the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) plan to allow Chinese spouses to run for public office without renouncing their Chinese citizenship.
The remarks came after KMT Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) on Thursday said the government was depriving Chinese spouses of their rights,
Chinese spouse Deng Wanhua (鄧萬華), who served as warden of Syuetian Village (學田) in Hualien County’s Fuli Township (富里), was removed from her post on Aug. 1 after she could not produce evidence that she had renounced her Chinese nationality. The Hualien County Government recently ruled in her favor after she appealed the ruling.
Photo: Bloomberg
Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) cited Article 20 of the Nationality Act (國籍法) as stipulating that people who are elected to public office must renounce any foreign nationality within one year of taking office.
However, Lo said regulations concerning Chinese spouses are 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).
To ensure Chinese spouses’ political rights, the KMT caucus said it would propose an amendment that would exempt Chinese spouses married to Taiwanese from adhering to Article 20 of the Nationality Act.
LOYALTY ISSUE
A national security official who declined to be named said public officials are obligated to pledge loyalty to Taiwan, which is why the Nationality Act requires them to renounce any foreign nationality.
China poses an obvious threat to Taiwanese sovereignty and is legally defined as a foreign hostile force, the official said.
If Chinese spouses who serve in a public office do not renounce their Chinese nationality, loyalty would be an issue, they added.
The KMT’s plan would not solve that issue and would draw strong public backlash, they said, citing opinion polls that showed that more than 70 percent of Taiwanese believe Chinese spouses are obligated to adhere to the loyalty standards in the Nationality Act.
People elected to public office should renounce any foreign nationality, the official said, adding that Chinese nationality should not be exempted.
If Chinese spouses take public offices and are exempt from renouncing their nationality, it would be equivalent to allowing 1.3 billion Chinese citizens to participate in Taiwan’s election, they said.
Such legislation must be approached with extreme caution and undergo thorough public debate, the official said, adding that the amendments would allow Beijing to effectively decide who holds key government positions in Taiwan.
Taiwan cannot leave its doors wide open and give the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) an opportunity to exploit it, they said, adding that it would deal a heavy blow to national security.
OPEN TO INFILTRATION
Tunghai University Cross-Strait Research Center deputy executive director Hung Pu-chao (洪浦釗) yesterday said the CCP would step up its “united front” efforts once Taiwan lowers the bar.
The KMT’s plan would not be a mere immigration policy adjustment, but a significant change risking national security, the boundaries of the political community and the integrity of Taiwan’s system, he said.
China is an authoritarian country that has long been infiltrating and exerting pressure on Taiwan, which is a context that should not be ignored, Hung said.
If Chinese spouses do not have to renounce their nationality to take public office, it would be equivalent to allowing the Chinese government to legally and openly accumulate political influence, forming a new vehicle for its “united front” work, he said.
Those most easily infiltrated are grassroots officials, such as village wardens and local council members, but could also include members of the Legislative Yuan, he added.
China’s laws, such as the National Intelligence Law, National Security Law and Anti-Espionage Law state that people have the duty to “assist and cooperate” with China’s national security and intelligence work, he said.
If people who retain their Chinese citizenship are allowed to hold public office or exercise official authority in Taiwan, it would create a conflict in their legal duties and give China the opportunity to directly interfere with Taiwan’s political operations, Hung said.
Once Taiwan lowers its institutional thresholds, China could fully integrate naturalized Chinese spouses into its “united front” operations, and comprehensively enhance the legitimacy and penetration of its efforts, he said.
ROAD TO NATURALIZATION
Government data showed that as of the end of September, there were 390,790 Chinese spouses, 367,362 of whom were from China, and 23,428 from Hong Kong and Macau.
Of the Chinese spouses, 108,224 people hold entry and exit permits for family visits or reunions, and 118,991 people hold resident certificates — with 75,662 on dependent residency and 43,329 on long-term residency, the data showed.
A total of 163,575 Chinese spouses have applied for permanent residency, it showed.
An official familiar with immigration affairs yesterday said the fastest path for a Chinese spouse to obtain full citizenship in Taiwan would be four years of dependent residency, followed by two years of long-term residency, after which they may apply for settlement, the official said.
Settlement grants voting rights, the official said, adding that if they want to run for public office, they need 10 years of settlement.
If the naturalization period for Chinese spouses is shortened to four years — as KMT legislators have also proposed — it would be unfair to foreign spouses who have to renounce their nationality to be naturalized, the official said.
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