Chinese spouse in NHIA training won't handle sensitive data: Agency

Taipei, April 20 (CNA) A Chinese spouse has for the first time passed a civil service exam to serve in Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA), but is currently in training and does not have access to any sensitive personal data, the agency said Monday.

Speaking to reporters, Sung Hui-an (宋蕙安), head of the NHIA's personnel office, confirmed a Liberty Times report claiming that a China-born spouse of a Taiwan national had tested into the NHIA for the first time since its establishment.

The individual in question, Sung said, passed the civil service exam at the beginning of this year and has been in training since late March. They are not yet officially employed as a civil servant.

Under Taiwanese law, Chinese spouses who have held Republic of China (Taiwan) citizenship for 10 years can participate in civil service exams.

Because the Chinese spouse is still in training, they are undergoing basic education on topics such as an introduction to the NHIA, cybersecurity education, service etiquette and operational procedures, Sung said.

At this stage, the individual does not have access to any sensitive information or systems, such as people's medical records, she added.

Although the Chinese spouse passed the civil service exam, Sung said, whether he or she is formally appointed to a role in the NHIA will depend on their performance during training.

Even if the person is appointed, there are positions within the NHIA that do not involve sensitive information or system access, such as hardware management or administrative work, which they could be assigned to, according to Sung.

Citizenship issue

Sung was also asked whether the Chinese spouse would be required to submit documents showing that they had renounced their People's Republic of China (PRC) citizenship before officially starting at the NHIA.

In Taiwan, civil servants are generally prohibited from holding dual citizenship.

In response, Sung said, vaguely, that "all documents required by law will be requested."

The NHIA "will remain in contact with the Ministry of Civil Service and the Mainland Affairs Council to handle the matter in accordance with regulations," she said.

Meanwhile, an official quoted in the Liberty Times report noted that under Article 28 of the Civil Service Employment Act, individuals with dual citizenship who are unable to complete renunciation of their foreign citizenship because foreign law prevents it, may take office as civil servants if they have submitted renunciation documents and provide relevant documentation.

In such cases, however, the person may be limited to positions and agencies that do not involve national security or state secrets, the act states.

According to National Immigration Agency data, there are over 368,000 Chinese spouses in Taiwan as of the end of February, accounting for about 1.58 percent of Taiwan's total population of 23.27 million.