Taipei [Taiwan], December 28, : The National Immigration Agency (NIA) of Taiwan has revealed that it had uncovered 124 instances of suspected forged documents in entry applications from Chinese nationals and has initiated actions to prevent such activities.
There are growing concerns about the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, where users are allegedly sharing guides for Chinese students to circumvent regular immigration procedures. These methods involve forging enrollment certificates and employing unsuspecting agents to submit applications to Taiwan's overseas offices, Taiwan News reported on Friday.
According to the report, Malaysian recruitment agencies have observed that many Chinese nationals apply for visas to Taiwan via the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia. However, some Chinese students have abused these channels by submitting fake documents to secure entry.
The NIA cautioned that under Article 17 of the Regulations Governing the Approval of Mainland Chinese Visitors to Taiwan for Tourism, individuals who falsify their entry purpose, hide important details, submit forged documents, or help others do so, may face a ban of up to five years. Entry and exit permits could also be revoked, and applicants are encouraged to comply with the regulations.
Authorities also discovered criminal groups in Taiwan involved in forging or modifying foreign visas to apply for entry under third-category tourism. These cases have been handed over to prosecutors, with some suspects already arrested as investigations continue to track and dismantle the networks responsible, the report said.
Since reopening tourism applications for Chinese nationals living abroad on September 1 of last year, the NIA has ramped up offshore prevention, border inspections, and investigations. Its overseas offices have bolstered document checks, improved collaboration with immigration authorities, and conducted interviews to verify suspicious cases. These actions are designed to strengthen border security and combat illegal activities to safeguard Taiwan's immigration system.
This case underscores the continuing tensions between Beijing and Taipei, with Beijing maintaining its claim over Taiwan as part of its territory, despite Taiwan's separate democratic governance for the past seventy years. While Beijing persists in asserting its sovereignty over Taiwan, Taipei has strengthened strategic alliances with democracies worldwide, including the United States, in opposition to Beijing's position.