Taiwan revokes fugitive tycoon Chen Yu-hao's citizenship

Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) Taiwan's government has revoked the Republic of China (Taiwan's formal name) citizenship of fugitive business tycoon Chen Yu-hao (陳由豪), who fled to China 22 years ago, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced on Friday.

In a statement, the MAC, which governs cross-strait exchanges, said the Ministry of the Interior canceled Chen's household registration in Taiwan after he was found to have obtained a household registration in China.

In other words, Chen has lost his ROC citizenship effective immediately, the MAC said.

Chen acquired Chinese citizenship in 2013 after fleeing to the mainland in 2002.

The MAC said as Chen has lost his Taiwanese citizenship, he has to seek permission to enter Taiwan as a Chinese citizen, adding that the government is determined to tighten scrutiny on any possible entry of China by Chen, who could apply for an entry using a third country's passport.

During the period of Chen's stay in China, the MAC said, the council repeatedly requested Chinese authorities extradite him back to Taiwan under the rules governing cross-strait crime crackdowns as well as mutual judicial assistance, but the Chinese authorities failed to respond.

The MAC said it regretted China's failure to observe the rules on crime crackdown and mutual judicial assistance across the Taiwan Strait.

Chen, a U.S. passport holder, fled Taiwan after dissolving the Tuntex Group in 2001, when Taiwanese authorities launched an investigation into allegations he embezzled about NT$70 billion (US$2.18 billion) from his company. In addition to the alleged embezzlement and breach of trust, Chen also owes about NT$450 million in personal income tax in Taiwan.

Tuntex used to be a conglomerate which had extended its reach to property, petrochemical, textile, retail and hotel businesses.

As a U.S. citizen, Chen was able to travel freely between the United States and China.

In 2002, he set up a petrochemical complex in Xiamen with paid-in capital of 3.34 billion Chinese yuan (US$476 million) to roll out items such as benzenedicarboxylic acid.

Chen was indicted in 2003 and listed as one of the 10 most wanted fugitives in Taiwan. Since acquiring Chinese citizenship, he has developed close ties with Chinese officials and the business sector in that country.

The MAC urged China to pay close attention to what its people desire for judicial justice and not to provide any protection to Taiwanese critical criminals but to send them back to Taiwan to stand trial, which will protect the welfare of people across the Taiwan Strait.

The Administrative Enforcement Agency of the Ministry of Justice has announced it will auction 317 plots of properties owned by Chen in Taiwan to pay his large outstanding personal income tax bills.