Village chief in Hualien County dismissed over Chinese nationality

Taipei, Aug. 3 (CNA) A village chief in eastern Taiwan has been dismissed over her People's Republic of China (PRC) nationality status, becoming the first local official in the country to be removed from office for that reason.

Teng Wan-hua (鄧萬華), who served as chief of Xuetian Village in Hualien County's Fuli Township, was removed from her post by the township office on Friday.

Teng was one of five village or borough chiefs who, according to Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior (MOI), were found in January to hold PRC nationality -- a status that contravenes the Nationality Act, the ministry said.

Teng told the media that she holds a Taiwanese passport, not a PRC one.

"I do not have PRC nationality. So what nationality issue is there?" Teng said.

"It's the Ministry of the Interior and the ruling party forcing this," she said, referring to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which controls the Presidential Office and executive branch.

Teng said she was elected legally and will file an administrative appeal to protect her rights.

Fuli Township Mayor Chiang Tung-cheng (江東成) told CNA that the MOI began sending letters in October 2024 instructing the township to handle the case in accordance with the Nationality Act.

Under the Act, A Republic of China (Taiwan) national who also holds foreign nationality is not eligible to hold government office in Taiwan. 

However, he noted that Taiwan and China are not considered two countries under the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.

Because of that, Chiang said, Teng cannot renounce her PRC nationality and the Chinese government will not issue proof of renunciation.

He said the township decided to carry out the dismissal to ensure transparency and to allow the court system to rule on the matter.

Chiang criticized the MOI for what he said was a deprivation of Teng's right to identity, right to life and right to property.

He said the issue has also been referred to the Control Yuan, Taiwan's highest government supervisory body.

Teng, originally from Guangyuan City in Sichuan Province, China, came to Taiwan through marriage in 1997 and obtained her Taiwanese national ID card 17 years ago. She was first elected village chief in 2022.