TAIPEI (Taiwan News) -- After video surfaced Monday (March 11) of a Taiwanese-born Communist cadre giving a controversial speech calling for adherence to the "one China" principle and expressed her giddy excitement about the "unification" of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan's Ministry of Interior (MOI) is seeking to revoke her Taiwanese citizenship.
Video surfaced on Monday showing Ling Yu-shih (凌友詩), committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and an honorary researcher at the Research Centre for Contemporary Chinese Culture of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, giving an excessively theatrical speech during a plenary meeting of the 2nd session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee. In the speech, she praised the "one China" principle, the "one country, two systems" framework, and expressed her eagerness for Taiwan's "unification" with China.
In the speech, the 57-year-old woman said, "It can be said that an ordinary Taiwanese girl like me, a visitor from Hong Kong, can experience the practice of 'one country, two systems' today." She then denigrated the land of her birth by saying, "Together with committee members, the mission of reviving the nation depends entirely on Taiwan breaking out of its narrow pattern."
Ling then recited the standard Communist 'one China' mantra: "I would like to say that there is only one China in the world. The only legitimate representative government of China is the government of the People's Republic of China. I am proud to be a dignified Chinese who can participate in the political system of the country." Ling then mentioned the possibility of China unilaterally declaring all Taiwanese to be Chinese citizens: "I believe in the near future, the central government will be able to more clearly identify the legal status of Taiwanese residents as Chinese citizens, just as mothers recognize their children."
During a committee meeting at the Legislative Yuan yesterday, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳) inquired whether Ling’s citizenship and healthcare could be revoked. In response, Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said that the ministry is likely to cancel her citizenship for violating the law.
Liu said that Ling had left the country for more than two years and her hukou (戶口, household registration) in Kaohsiung had been transferred to a household registration office or district office, reported Liberty Times. The MOI is checking with the National Immigration Agency to find out whether Ling has a Chinese hukou or passport.
If she was found to have a Chinese hukou or passport, it would represent a violation of Article 9 of the Act Government Relations Between People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例). The law states that if a Taiwanese person obtains a Chinese hukou or passport, their Taiwanese hukou will be canceled.
Taiwanese law also prohibits its citizens from joining the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the People's Liberation Army (PLA), or any administrative or legal organs in China. Taiwanese who join the CCP could face fines from NT$100,000 to NT$500,000 (US$3,390-US$16,950), said Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Katharine Chang (張小月), at a press conference in October of 2017.
Taiwanese netizens were thoroughly nauseated by Ling's traitorous speech:
"I'm about to vomit."
"I really can't listen to any longer."
"Is this some kind of speech contest... It's so disgusting."
Hong Kong netizens also had a strong, negative reaction:
"Miss Ling, if you have cancer in the future, be sure to go to your favorite doctor in China, don't go to a Taiwanese doctor."
"People of Taiwan, come see, after 'unification' you will talk like that."
