Ministries to withhold info from naturalized lawmaker pending review: Cho

Taipei, Feb. 26 (CNA) Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) has ordered Taiwan's ministries and agencies not to provide any information, including classified materials, to Taiwan People's Party (TPP) lawmaker Li Chen-hsiu (李貞秀) until her legislative eligibility is confirmed, Executive Yuan Spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said Thursday.

Cho also instructed the Central Election Commission (CEC) to carry out necessary administrative procedures following communications sent by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), Lee told reporters.

The controversy centers on questions over Li's eligibility to serve in the Legislative Yuan.

Li was born in China but became a naturalized Taiwanese via marriage. She was sworn in as a lawmaker on Feb. 3.

The MOI has sent three formal communications to the Legislative Yuan and to Li requesting proof that she renounced her People's Republic of China (PRC) nationality before taking office, but has not received such documentation, MOI Director-General of the Department of Household Registration Chen Yung-chih (陳永智) said on Thursday.

Although Secretary-General of the Legislative Yuan Chou Wan-lai (周萬來) replied on Feb. 13, no proof of renunciation was attached, and the MOI has yet to receive documentation showing Li completed the renunciation process, Chen said.

Under Article 20 of Taiwan's Nationality Act, the dismissal of a lawmaker must be handled by the Legislative Yuan in accordance with the law, Chen added.

Earlier, the MAC said Li's certificate cancelling her household registration in China was "a bit strange" in format and content and therefore only recognized the March 2025 date on which it was submitted to the National Immigration Agency (NIA).

That means Li possessed dual household registrations when she registered at the end of 2023 as an at-large legislative candidate for the TPP, according to the MAC.

MAC Deputy Director-General of the Department of Legal Affairs Tung Yu-yun (董玉芸) said the case has raised questions about eligibility requirements when prospective candidates register to run for elections.

The MAC plans to consult with the MOI and the CEC in early March on how to improve verification procedures to prevent similar cases from happening again, Tung said.

The same day, TPP founder and former chairperson Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) called on Cho to state clearly whether a Chinese spouse of a Taiwanese person is considered a foreign national and whether such individuals have political participation rights after obtaining a Taiwanese identification card and being naturalized as a Taiwanese national.

"If you dare to say it openly, we will make Li Chen-hsiu step down," Ko said, adding that the CEC approved Li's qualifications, issued her certificate of election and she was sworn in under the supervision of the grand justices.

Ko said that refusing interpellation or withholding information from Li amounted to "creating division."

The CEC said it handles election affairs according to the law and precedent.

If an election outcome is determined to have been invalid from the outset, it will process the matter in accordance with the law based on evidence provided by the competent authorities, it said.