Taipei [ Taiwan], January 4 : Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has condemned China's efforts to issue Chinese ID cards to Taiwanese citizens, calling it an attempt to create the illusion of legal sovereignty over Taiwan, Taipei Times reported.
According to MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng, Beijing's strategy is aimed at turning Taiwanese people into Chinese nationals, which could serve as a pretext for future military action against Taiwan.
The controversy stems from a recent video in which YouTuber Pa Chiung interviewed Lin Jincheng, head of the Taiwan Youth Entrepreneurship Park in Quanzhou, China. Lin claimed that 200,000 Taiwanese had obtained Chinese ID cards over the past decade.
Chiu responded cautiously, noting that the government cannot independently verify the figures but assured that the issue would be handled carefully. Over the last ten years, 679 Taiwanese individuals have had their Taiwanese documents invalidated after acquiring Chinese ID or passports, Chiu said.
Chiu also warned Taiwanese citizens about the lack of personal data protection in China, urging them not to apply for Chinese ID cards. In response, Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior has instructed district offices to handle cases of local officials with Chinese nationality in line with Taiwanese laws. The Ministry has identified five such cases, which are being dealt with according to the Nationality Act and Household Registration Act, reported Taipei Times.
The Ministry also clarified that Taiwanese law requires Chinese nationals who marry Taiwanese citizens to renounce their foreign citizenship if they wish to participate in politics. This rule recently led to the dismissal of former Nantou County Councillor Shi Xueyan, who failed to renounce her Chinese nationality within one year of taking office.
Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang explained that the regulation ensures that elected officials hold only Taiwanese citizenship, and failure to comply results in removal from office. The Ministry has sent notices about this requirement multiple times.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) has criticised the government's actions, accusing it of stripping the political rights of 300,000 Chinese spouses. KMT Legislator Weng Hsiao-ling argued that all people from China should also be considered nationals of Taiwan, suggesting that the revocation of public office rights reflects an unconstitutional "two-state theory."
However, MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh rejected these accusations, asserting that the government's actions were consistent with legal requirements, Taipei Times reported.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has continued to warn the public not to share personal information with China, citing concerns over the sensitive nature of biometric data, such as fingerprints and facial recognition, required for Chinese residency applications.