Taiwan‘s Increased scrutiny Targets chinese Immigrants
TAIPEI – May 8, 2024 –
Thousands of Chinese immigrants in Taiwan are at risk of deportation due to a recent surge in enforcement regarding residency stipulations. The government’s focus on documenting relinquished Chinese household registrations is causing distress and raising concerns about fairness and discrimination. The situation is further complex by heightened political tensions between Taiwan and China, where ordinary citizens are facing extreme challenges. Experts are now weighing in on the potential impact of this policy.
Here’s a rewritten version of the article, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and a slightly more neutral tone:
Taiwan’s Increased Scrutiny of Chinese Immigrants Sparks Concern
TAIPEI, Taiwan – A recent surge in enforcement of a decades-old regulation is putting thousands of Chinese immigrants in Taiwan at risk of deportation, raising concerns about fairness and discrimination amid heightened political tensions between Taiwan and China.
Liu Jia-yen, a 51-year-old who has lived in Taiwan for over 20 years, was recently notified by the National Immigration Agency that she had three months to provide proof she had relinquished her Chinese household registration – a document granting access to benefits like healthcare and education in China. Failure to do so would result in her deportation.
liu believed she had submitted the required documentation years ago. Her daughter, Ariel Ko, 26, born and raised in Taiwan, frantically tried to contact the immigration agency, while liu’s 80-year-old grandfather and brother in China searched for the old records.
Taiwan is home to tens of thousands of people born in China. In the past year, Taiwan has increased it’s scrutiny of this population, citing concerns about potential infiltration and espionage. While the immigration agency states that most Chinese residents have provided the necesary paperwork, approximately 12,000 are now facing similar challenges to Liu in locating and submitting these documents.
“The government has its policies, and we can respect that,” saeid Ko. “But it’s tough when ordinary citizens are asked to do something so difficult. Has our perspective been considered?”
The increased scrutiny comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions between Taiwan and China. china considers Taiwan a part of its territory, and has not ruled out using force to achieve reunification.Beijing has been particularly critical of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, who has advocated for Taiwanese independence.
Concerns about espionage date back to the Chinese Civil war. While relations between Taiwan and China improved for a time,both sides have recently taken actions citing national security. China has threatened severe penalties, including the death penalty, for supporters of Taiwanese independence. President Lai has proposed stricter measures against espionage and expressions of loyalty to China within Taiwan’s armed forces.
Earlier this year, members of Taiwan’s presidential security team were convicted of spying for China, and Taiwan deported Chinese immigrants for expressing support for unification with China thru military force online. Over 140,000 Chinese immigrants reside in Taiwan as spouses of Taiwanese citizens.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council maintains that the household registration requirement has been in place since 2004, and the recent notices are intended to ensure compliance. However, critics argue that the sudden enforcement is unjust.
Opposition legislator Chang Chi-kai stated, “It’s like our government has been asleep for 21 years. And now, all of a sudden, it wakes up and demands that Chinese spouses who’ve been living in Taiwan for so manny years provide an vital document from two decades ago.”
Following public criticism, Taiwan announced exemptions for individuals facing financial hardship, medical needs, or safety concerns related to traveling to China to obtain the required documents.
According to Milo Hsieh, founder of Safe Spaces in Taipei, the different treatment of Chinese-born individuals under Taiwanese immigration law makes them vulnerable to discrimination, especially during periods of political tension.
Ko recalls experiencing prejudice due to her mother’s Chinese origin.While some online expressed sympathy for her mother’s situation, others told her to “save your fake tears” and to follow Taiwan’s rules if she wanted to be Taiwanese.
According to government polls, over 70% of Taiwanese respondents support thorough investigations into whether Chinese immigrants, particularly those in the military or public sector, still hold Chinese residency.
