TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Five village chiefs face immediate dismissal for failing to renounce their People's Republic of China (PRC, 中華人民共和國) nationality within the legally required one-year period. Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) clarified Monday (Nov. 24) in the Legislative Yuan, Taiwan's parliament, that Article 20 of the Nationality Act (國籍法) strictly mandates that all public office holders must renounce any foreign nationality, including PRC citizenship. The pending dismissals stem from the Ministry of Interior's determination to enforce Taiwan's nationality laws.
Liu emphasized that the Nationality Act does not legally recognize declarations or affidavits regarding nationality renunciation, firmly rejecting the Legislative Yuan's proposal to introduce declaration forms for dual nationality status. The minister stated that the current nationality law provides absolutely no provisions for declarations or affidavits regarding the renunciation of foreign nationality. This legal clarification directly addresses proposed legislative measures aimed at resolving ongoing issues for Chinese spouses holding public office.
Lee Chen-hsiu (李貞秀), one of the affected village chiefs, argued that under the Additional Articles of the Constitution (中華民國憲法增修條文), mainland China, China, is not legally considered a foreign region. She plans to select the option indicating no dual nationality when signing the proposed declaration form as a potential solution. However, Liu firmly reiterated that the Nationality Act mandates the complete renunciation of any foreign nationality, including PRC citizenship.
The Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) legislative caucus, Taiwan's main opposition party, has expressed its clear intention to amend the nationality law to exempt Chinese spouses from restrictions on political participation. Liu criticized this proposed amendment for creating a special privilege clause, emphasizing the critical importance of adhering to the legal requirements outlined in Article 20. She noted that in May, five district offices failed to dismiss village chiefs who had not renounced their PRC nationality.
