TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) warned Friday that China’s push for Taiwanese to apply for official Chinese documents is part of its broader United Front strategy to undermine Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Chiu said Beijing is attempting to entice Taiwanese citizens to apply for Chinese residency cards, permanent residency cards, and identification cards, with the ultimate goal of portraying Taiwan as part of China, per CNA. He emphasized that this tactic seeks to create a false appearance of Chinese jurisdiction over Taiwan under international and domestic law.
DPP China Affairs Department Director Wu Jun-zhi (吳峻鋕) added that Taiwanese nationals who hold Chinese citizenship not only violate Taiwan’s laws but also provide Beijing with a pretext for future military action, similar to Russia’s justification for invading Ukraine, per Rti. Wu also warned that holding a Chinese ID subjects individuals to Chinese laws, which could lead to oppression over freedom of speech.
Chiu raised concerns about China’s lax approach to protecting personal data, which could lead to the misuse of sensitive information. He cautioned that applying for a Chinese ID would result in the forfeiture of Taiwanese nationality, citing the case of 679 individuals who lost their citizenship over the past decade.
MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) addressed the issue of dual nationality during a press conference Thursday, per Rti. Liang responded to claims in a purported YouTube expose, which suggested that more than 100,000 Taiwanese nationals may currently hold Chinese IDs.
Liang noted that the claim was allegedly made by convicted fraudster Ling Chin-cheng (林金城), and it is currently under investigation. Regarding another claim by Ling—that Taiwanese nationals need not relinquish their IDs when applying for Chinese IDs—Liang pointed out that it contradicts Chinese law.
Liang also warned that local Chinese officials, in collaboration with local banks, maybe using this scheme to issue fraudulent loans. Taiwanese applicants who recently applied for Chinese IDs are reportedly offered better loan terms than locals as part of the United Front tactic.
Liang stressed that Chinese taxpayers are the real victims in this situation. He encouraged anyone who has applied for Chinese documents or knows someone who has to share their experiences with the MAC, per UDN.