TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Minister of Mainland Affairs Council (陸委會) Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) warned on Friday (Jan. 3) that China's strategy to entice Taiwanese citizens to apply for residency cards poses a significant political threat. Chiu urged citizens to protect their data, emphasizing the government's solemn stance.
Chiu explained that China aims to blur the substantial and psychological boundaries between the two regions by altering the identity status of people across the Taiwan Strait. He noted that through residency cards and similar documents, China attempts to classify Taiwanese citizens as its nationals, creating a misleading impression of jurisdiction under international or domestic law.
Chiu clarified that the government plans to investigate any individual obtaining a Chinese ID card under the "Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area" (臺灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例). Violators risk losing their household registration in Taiwan and associated rights.
Despite a social media influencer's claim that over 100,000 Taiwanese have obtained Chinese ID cards, Chiu admitted uncertainty about the number but assured that the government would respond cautiously. He acknowledged that Taiwanese residing in China often apply for residency cards for convenience, with China reporting 22,000 applications in 2018.
Over the past decade, authorities have canceled the household registration of 679 individuals for maintaining household registration in China.
