TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council on Wednesday clarified that Taiwanese who obtain household registration in China will forfeit their residency rights in Taiwan.
MAC has issued a new interpretation stipulating that under the Cross-Strait Act, a single identity system is required for people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, per CNA. It warned that if a citizen registers household status in China or obtains equivalent documentation, they will lose their legal residency status in Taiwan.
MAC said the application of Article 9-1, Paragraph 1 of the Cross-Strait Act maintains a clear and unified identity system. The article in question says: “The people of the Taiwan Area may not have household registrations in the Mainland Area or hold passports issued by the Mainland Area.”
The council said the Chinese Communist Party treats residency as the legal and administrative basis for household registration. If an individual obtains a residence permit issued by China's Ministry of Public Security, they can register for permanent residency and apply for a resident identity card, equivalent to Chinese citizens.
Based on MAC's interpretation of Article 9-1, possession of a Chinese resident identification card and a residence permit is legally equivalent to having household registration in China. Therefore, Taiwanese who have obtained a Chinese ID and residence permit will also forfeit their legal residency status in Taiwan.
Recently, MAC, along with the Ministry of Civil Service and the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration, instructed agencies to review whether military personnel, civil servants, and teachers possess documents issued by China. MAC said the Cross-Strait Act mandates a single household registration system and accused the CCP of deliberately undermining the status quo by blurring this distinction.
On March 13, at a press conference following a high-level national security meeting, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) announced 17 strategies to respond to national security and united front threats from China.
Lai stressed the need for a thorough review of identification documents related to residency status issued by China, such as passports, identity cards, residence permits, and household registration documents. This applied in particular to military personnel, civil servants, and teachers, who have a duty of loyalty to Taiwan.
