China's new entry-exit rules could raise risks for Taiwanese: MAC

Taipei, Aug. 5 (CNA) Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Wednesday that China's newly announced entry-exit regulations contain vaguely defined national security provisions and give authorities broad discretion to restrict people's movement, potentially increasing the risks faced by Taiwanese traveling there.

Speaking before a legislative session in Taipei, MAC head Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said Beijing had long imposed "very strict" controls on both Chinese citizens and foreign nationals in China, adding that the new regulations largely placed those existing practices under a formal legal framework.

"They have merely codified these stringent control measures, as if to underscore that they are governing according to law," Chiu said.

However, the conditions governing such restrictions remained "vague and broad" and could be applied arbitrarily by the authorities, he said, adding that the lack of clearly defined legal requirements was the fundamental reason the regulations had caused public concern in Taiwan.

The regulations, promulgated by China's State Council on July 31, are scheduled to take effect on Sept. 15.

Article 4 of the regulations allows the authorities to bar Chinese citizens who have engaged in illegal or criminal activities overseas deemed harmful to China's "national security and interests" from leaving China for six months to three years following their return.

The same article also allows authorities to bar Chinese citizens from leaving over export-control or technology import-export violations that could endanger China's industrial or technological security, without specifying the duration of such restrictions.

Under Article 5, authorities can deny entry to foreign nationals for reasons including false application materials, immigration violations, or inclusion on Chinese sanctions lists.

The regulations do not explicitly state how the new exit-ban provisions will apply to Taiwanese visiting China, nor do they classify Taiwanese as Chinese citizens or foreigners.

However, Beijing's long-standing position is that Taiwanese are "Chinese citizens residing in the Taiwan region," rather than foreign nationals.

During the legislative session, Chiu was asked whether the risks associated with entering and leaving China had increased for both Chinese and foreign nationals.

"I think that is very clear," Chiu replied, urging Taiwanese to carefully assess the situation before traveling to China and fully understand the potential risks involved.

In an Aug. 1 report, China's state-run People's Daily said the regulations were introduced to address new challenges that had emerged in recent years, including threats to the safety of Chinese citizens overseas and fraudulent entry applications by foreign nationals.

The newspaper also said exit and entry administration concerned the "safety and lawful rights and interests" of people leaving China, as well as the country's "sovereignty, security and development interests."