Taiwan rebuts China's criticism of deregistration rule

Taipei, April 16 (CNA) Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Wednesday rejected Beijing's claim that requiring Chinese spouses to submit proof of renouncing their Chinese household registration was "escalating cross-strait tensions."

The purpose of requiring Chinese spouses in Taiwan to submit the missing proof is to prevent them from "unexpectedly losing their 'Taiwan's status' due to arbitrary reports by others," MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said at a news briefing in Taipei.

"It reflects the government's utmost leniency toward such individuals," Liang said, adding that allowing submissions within a specified period helps prevent cases in which someone could be reported for holding dual household registrations and, under current regulations, immediately lose their "Taiwan's status" without prior notice.

"In fact, the purpose is to help those who wish to stay in Taiwan remain here, so it is by no means to escalate cross-strait tensions," he said.

Liang's remarks came hours after a Wednesday morning news briefing in Beijing by China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), the MAC's counterpart across the Taiwan Strait, where TAO spokesperson Zhu Fenglian (朱鳳蓮) criticized the requirement and accused the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration of "escalating cross-strait tensions."

"Chinese spouses are family members and loved ones of fellow Taiwanese compatriots," said Zhu, who described the requirement as a "malicious act" that "persecutes Chinese spouses" and "deepens divisions within Taiwanese society."

The requirement referenced by both Liang and the TAO was listed in notices sent by the National Immigration Agency (NIA) to some Chinese spouses and their children in Taiwan in early April, requesting them to submit proof of having renounced their household registration in China within three months of receiving the notice.

Such a requirement is stipulated in Article 9-1 of the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, which specifies that "the people of the Taiwan Area may not have household registrations in the Mainland Area," and those who violate this provision "shall be deprived of its status as the people of the Taiwan Area and its rights."

Among the over 140,000 Chinese spouses granted "status as the people of the Taiwan Area" -- meaning a "settlement residency" or Taiwanese citizenship -- in Taiwan, more than 130,000 of them have already provided the required proof, according to Liang.

However, the requirement has also drawn criticism from not only TAO, but also new immigrants in Taiwan. Nadia Liu (劉千萍), chairperson of the Taiwan Immigration Youth Alliance, previously told CNA that it is the result of the authorities' failure to fully implement the policy in the past.

Liu questioned whether it should be considered an "oversight" by the relevant authorities, adding that the review itself has caused unease among all immigrants.

After "listening to a lot of feedback," the MAC has expanded the original four exemption conditions to six, allowing more Chinese spouses and their children to be exempted from submitting the proof, Liang said.

Chinese spouses who are aged 70 or above (including those turning 70 in 2025), as well as those from low-income households who lack the means to travel to China, are now also eligible to apply for the exemption, Liang said.

Those two additional groups can submit affidavits instead of the required proof, Liang added.

Individuals not covered by the six exemption categories may still apply for a deferral if facing circumstances such as pregnancy, caregiving duties, or major family emergencies, with a grace period ranging from three months to one year, Liang said.

Applications for both exemptions and deferrals can be submitted at NIA offices across Taiwan starting next Monday, according to MAC.