TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Denmark has reportedly started requiring Taiwanese to fully identify as Chinese on their identification documents.
In March, the Danish newspaper Berlingske reported at least 10 Taiwanese discovered their Danish residence cards listed their status as a citizen of China. On Oct. 18, the newspaper reported that this policy had been expanded to list the birthplace of Taiwanese as “China.”
According to the newspaper, at least one Taiwanese national living in Denmark at the end of the summer received their new Danish residence card listing both their nationality and their place of birth as China. An internal government email exchange obtained by Berlingske revealed that Danish authorities made this change because Denmark does not recognize Taiwan as a country.
In March, Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he would look into the matter. According to Berlingske, there has also been dialogue between Taiwan and Denmark.
In the past, Taiwanese were allowed to list their country of origin and birthplace on the cards as “Taiwan."
Taiwan Corner Chair Michael Danielsen said the latest report gives the impression that Denmark considers Taiwan to be under Beijing's rule. “Is it really Denmark’s position that Taiwan’s 24 million people, who live in a full democracy, should be subjected to China’s authoritarian regime?” asked Danielsen rhetorically.
Danielsen added Denmark should not “gamble with people’s nationality” and the government's policy is evidence of a disorganized administration. He pointed out that Denmark is the only country in the EU that has imposed this policy on Taiwanese nationals.
He questioned who made the decision to change Denmark's treatment of Taiwanese and the reason for this sudden shift. He warned that if the new rules are upheld, “it will be a major paradigm shift in Denmark's policy.”
Danielsen said that if this requirement stays in place, it demonstrates that Denmark is moving closer to Beijing's “one-China” principle which purports that Taiwan is a part of China.