TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Ten Chinese spouses have voluntarily given up their Taiwanese residency after being asked to provide proof of having renounced their original household registration in China, the Mainland Affairs Council said Thursday.
MAC Deputy Minister and Spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said the reasons varied, including access to social welfare in China, inheritance of property, and the death of a spouse in Taiwan. He added the government handled the requests according to each individual’s wishes.
As of Wednesday, 6,569 individuals had submitted the required documentation. Another 4,287 either submitted sworn statements, applied for extensions to return to China, or are listed as long-term overseas residents, accounting for 89.4% of all cases.
Liang said the National Immigration Agency continues to search for the remaining 1,290 individuals who have not yet been located or contacted. Their residency status will remain unchanged until they are found.
In response to China’s Taiwan Affairs Office Spokesperson Chen Binhua (陳斌華), who accused the DPP administration of abusing its power by requiring long-settled Chinese spouses to retroactively submit proof of renunciation, Liang pushed back. He said TAO’s remarks reflect a poor understanding of Taiwan’s legal system and constitute disinformation.
Liang said the “single status” requirement is part of the Cross-Strait Act, which mandates revocation of Taiwanese status for anyone found to hold household registration in both Taiwan and China, regardless of how long they have lived in Taiwan. As such, the issue is not subject to any statute of limitations.
Liang added that without proof of removal from China’s household registry, Chinese spouses in Taiwan are at risk of losing their status under existing law. He criticized Beijing’s framing of the issue as political persecution, saying Taiwan’s approach is based on good faith and legal compliance.
