Protesters call for apology as MAC defends Chinese spouse rule

Taipei, July 3 (CNA) Local activists held a protest in Taipei on Thursday, calling on the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) to apologize for requiring Chinese spouses to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration, but the agency said no apology was necessary.

The protest, organized by the civic group Taiwan International Family Association (TIFA) and the left-wing People's Democratic Party, was held on Thursday afternoon outside the Joint Central Government Office Building in Taipei, where the MAC is located.

Having managed to gather around 20 protesters, the two groups said the move by the MAC had triggered a "witch hunt" and discrimination against Chinese spouses, urging the agency to "publicly admit its mistake" and issue a formal apology, according to a joint news release.

The move referred to by the groups is a requirement outlined in notices sent by the National Immigration Agency (NIA) to some Chinese spouses in Taiwan in early April asking them to submit proof of having renounced their household registration in China within three months of receiving the notice.

The requirement is stipulated in 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."

Those who violate this provision "shall be deprived of its status as the people of the Taiwan Area and its rights," the law says. The "Taiwan status" referred to in the act means being a citizen of the Republic of China (Taiwan's official name).

Of the over 140,000 Chinese spouses granted "Taiwan status," more than 130,000 have already provided the required proof, leaving only around 12,000 who are required to do so and were sent the NIA notices, according to Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑), MAC deputy head and spokesperson.

Describing MAC's move as "absurd and burdensome," the groups said that even if some Chinese spouses had indeed failed to submit proof of deregistration, it was the authorities at the time "who chose not to enforce the rules when granting them household registration [in Taiwan]."

They urged the MAC to immediately stop requiring supplementary documents or affidavits from Chinese spouses and to maintain the Taiwanese household registration -- a key requirement for holding "Taiwan status" -- of those who have yet to comply.

In response to the groups' demand, Liang said at a news briefing later in the day that he has no idea "what exactly the protesters want us to apologize for," adding that many Chinese spouses had in fact already completed the required procedures.

He said the MAC has observed that as long as a Chinese spouse is willing to go through the process, "there are basically no cases where it cannot be completed."

Some Chinese spouses and their children who meet certain conditions -- such as having serious illnesses or injuries -- can submit an affidavit as an alternative or request a deferral to submit the proof of deregistration, Liang noted.

"Let me emphasize again that this is a legal requirement," Liang said, adding that the move is intended to ensure the stability of Chinese spouses' legal status in Taiwan, so they need not worry about being reported and potentially losing their "Taiwan status."

Regarding compliance among the 12,146 individuals required to submit proof of deregistration, Liang said most Chinese spouses are willing to cooperate, with 6,087 having submitted proof as of Wednesday and another 2,695 who qualified for exemptions or deferrals having submitted affidavits instead.