New security vetting rules for civil servants to take effect Friday

Taipei, June 5 (CNA) Taiwan's newly amended regulations on the enhanced vetting of civil servants are set to take effect on Friday amid growing concerns over Chinese espionage operations involving government employees, Cabinet officials said Thursday.

The Examination Yuan recently approved the draft amendments to the special vetting regulations for civil servants involving national security or major national interest, which was co-signed by the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration (DGPA) under the Executive Yuan.

The new rules were drafted in response to a series of recent alleged Chinese spying cases involving government workers, such as a former aide to National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) during his tenure as minister of foreign affairs from February 2018 to May 2024.

The premier, vice premier, secretary-general, and two deputy secretaries-general of the Executive Yuan will be among the first individuals subjected to the new vetting rules, Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said at a press conference after a regular Cabinet meeting.

The new regulations, which increase the frequency and scope of vetting were published Wednesday and will come into effect Friday in accordance with the law, Lee Hua-shu (李花書), a division chief in charge of training and employment matters under the DGPA, said at the press conference.

Under the new rules, vetting will also be conducted on public personnel under investigation for suspected offenses under Taiwan's national security laws. Furthermore, the updated regulations introduce more frequent checks, requiring regular special vetting for those in designated positions after a certain period of service, Lee Hua-shu explained.

Lee Hua-shu also said that individuals working in the offices of top officials, even if not appointed under the Civil Service Employment Act, who cannot be legally vetted, will be asked to submit a voluntary declaration form to ensure national security is not undermined.

Security vetting of public servants is currently governed by Article 4 of the Civil Servant Employment Act and a set of regulations created under the auspices of that legislation.

The special vetting process will begin progressively from Friday. However, as vetting is undertaken by the Investigation Bureau, it will take some time to carry out, according to Lee Hua-shu.

According to the new regulations, cohabitants of civil servants subjected to special vetting, as well as their cohabitants' parents, will also be included in the vetting process.