TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The authorities have questioned more than 30 people and are investigating three to five companies over Chinese identity documents, Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said Wednesday.
YouTubers have recently claimed that as many as 100,000 to 200,000 Taiwanese might have obtained Chinese passports or residency documents. China had been promising the applicants favorable terms for the repayment of loans.
In an interview with Yahoo TV, Liu described the numbers as exaggerated, while adding the Ministry of Interior had questioned more than 30 people suspected of holding Chinese IDs. Individuals holding a Chinese ID will have their Taiwan household registration canceled, lose the right to vote, and health insurance benefits.
Before the Lunar New Year holiday, two or three people were found with Chinese ID documents, according to the minister. She said anyone accused of holding such IDs should be given time to plead their case, while she added there was a strong resemblance between Chinese IDs and travel documents for Taiwanese visitors.
The minister suggested some of the suspects might be looking for overseas documents because they were involved in scams, or accused of other crimes in Taiwan.
About three to five companies in north, central, and south Taiwan are also under investigation for claiming to help with Chinese passport applications, per Radio Taiwan International. Their actions may have broken the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, Liu said.
