Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) yesterday said she hopes all ministers would follow the Ministry of the Interior’s guidelines, the day after she said that the ministry would not provide a new China-born legislator with any classified information.
On Wednesday, Liu told a local media outlet that the ministry would not provide Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Legislator-at-large Li Zhenxiu (李貞秀) with confidential or higher-level information, as she has not provided proof of an attempt to renounce her Chinese citizenship.
“If there is no legally effective document, then we will determine that this is a renunciation that does not have legal effect,” Liu said yesterday.
Photo courtesy of the Executive Yuan
Executive Yuan spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) yesterday said that the Cabinet would do its constitutional duty in line with the law.
Lee also said the Executive Yuan would carefully consider its options regarding Liu’s suggestion that other ministries follow its lead.
As part of the party’s two-year clause for its at-large lawmakers, six new TPP legislators, including Li, were sworn in on Tuesday to fill the vacancies.
Li is the first “Chinese spouse” to serve in the legislature.
Sources on Monday said that administrative agencies might refuse to provide Li with information, and if she questions the premier or ministers in the legislature, they would not be required to respond.
If Li presents proof of having applied to renounce her Chinese nationality when taking office, but fails to complete the process within one year, she could still attend classified meetings and access sensitive documents during that period, the source said.
Liu is within her authority to refuse to provide classified documents to her, Li said, urging the government not to target individuals with specific actions.
Li said that she completed her oath of office in accordance with lawful procedures, including qualification review by the Central Election Commission and confirmation by the Legislative Yuan.
Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said 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) stipulates that Chinese spouses have the right to run for public office if they have been a Taiwanese citizen for 10 years, while the Nationality Act (國籍法) stipulates rules that apply to all elected officials.
The cross-strait law governs eligibility to run for office, while the assumption of public office after election is governed by the Nationality Act, Liang said.
The Nationality Act requires officials to renounce other citizenships within one year of taking office.
After China’s Taiwan Affairs Office yesterday said it would not allow Li to renounce her Chinese citizenship, Liang said that China is depriving her of her right to serve as a legislator in Taiwan.
Under China’s national security laws, the public is generally required to cooperate with and assist national security authorities, Liang said.
“She would face a legal dilemma: whether to share confidential information to which she has access with China. As an administrative agency, the last thing we want is to place her in such an awkward position,” he said.
Additional reporting by Shelley Shan, Chen Chih-cheng and CNA
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