TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A petition calling on the Taiwan government to offer foreign permanent residents a path towards citizenship while retaining their original nationality, surpassed the number of signatures required to merit a response from the central government. 

The petition was organized by the non-governmental advocacy group Crossroads, and launched on Aug. 18. The “Petition to exempt permanent residents of Taiwan from renouncing their original nationality to become Taiwan citizens” reached its necessary goal in early October, achieving over 5,200 signatures weeks before the deadline of Oct. 20. 

According to a recent Facebook post by Crossroads, the group is contacting Taiwanese lawmakers and plans to organize a press conference to announce the petition’s success and discuss the proposal in late October.  

The proposal suggests that providing foreign residents with a path towards citizenship without renouncing their original nationality would help Taiwan address its declining birthrate. Likewise, it could also help retain foreign talent as a means to safeguard the economy. 

It also notes that the 38,000 foreigners who have obtained permanent residence “lack equal access to many public services, assistance, and benefits afforded to citizens, as well as representation in public affairs.”

The petition was shared on the National Development Council’s (NDC) JOIN website. The site provides a forum for the public to petition the government on important issues and propose relevant policies for the government to consider. 

According to NDC regulations, the government is required to hold deliberative meetings to consider the proposal, and is expected to issue a public statement on the petition within two months. If the NDC has not decided in that time, the time frame for a response may be extended for an additional two months. 

The petition will remain open for collecting signatures until Oct. 20. Until that date, Taiwanese citizens and foreign residents are welcome to share their opinions on the proposal for the NDC and relevant agencies to consider.