Cabinet officially recognizes Siraya as Taiwan's 17th Indigenous tribe

Taipei, July 30 (CNA) Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Thursday approved the official recognition of the Siraya as one of Taiwan's Indigenous tribes, making it the country's 17th officially recognized tribe and the first Plains Indigenous group to receive the designation.

The recognition affirms the Siraya's collective rights ahead of Taiwan's Indigenous Peoples' Day on Aug. 1 and represents a concrete step toward historical justice, cultural diversity and the protection of constitutionally guaranteed rights, Cho said, according to Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝).

Speaking after the weekly Cabinet meeting, Lee said Cho instructed the Council of Indigenous Peoples (CIP) to promptly announce registration procedures and related supporting measures, while coordinating with the Ministry of the Interior and local governments to complete the necessary administrative work.

According to Lee, Cho said the recognition followed the Legislature's passage of the Plains Indigenous Peoples Status Act in October 2025, which responded to decades of advocacy by Plains Indigenous groups seeking official recognition since the 1990s.

After the law took effect, the CIP received the Siraya's application for recognition and completed its review in May, Lee said.

Eight other Plains Indigenous groups have also submitted applications and are awaiting review by the council, Cho said.

The CIP said it has arranged meetings with local governments to prepare for implementation. Siraya people who meet the eligibility requirements are expected to be able to register their Indigenous status at local household registration offices beginning in mid-August.

Further details will be announced on the council's official website and social media platforms.

Also on Thursday, Cho attended a ceremony marking the Siraya's official recognition, where he pledged that the Cabinet would allocate additional funding to the CIP in 2027 to expand policies covering education, employment, family welfare and daily life.

Before the Plains Indigenous Peoples Status Act established a legal framework for recognizing Plains Indigenous peoples, Taiwan officially recognized only Mountain Indigenous tribes, as Plains Indigenous groups had long been regarded as having largely undergone Sinicization.

CIP Department of Planning Director Tseng Hsing-chung (曾興中) said at the post-Cabinet news conference that the law requires the government to establish a more comprehensive legal framework for Plains Indigenous peoples within three years of its implementation.

The CIP is currently coordinating with relevant government agencies to review existing resources and expects to submit a draft implementation plan by the end of the year, Tseng said.

Before the Siraya's recognition, Taiwan officially recognized 16 Indigenous tribes: the Amis, Atayal, Paiwan, Bunun, Pinuyumayan, Rukai, Cou, Saisiyat, Yami, Thao, Kavalan, Truku, Sakizaya, Sediq, Hla'alua, and Kanakanavu.