Taipei: Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced Thursday that the Republic of China (Taiwan) citizenship of three individuals, including taekwondo athlete Lee Tung-hsien, have been revoked due to their possession of Chinese IDs. This decision marks a significant enforcement of Taiwan's regulations concerning dual citizenships and affiliations with China.
According to Focus Taiwan, since the release of a video about China's united front efforts targeting Taiwan, the MAC has received "information on around a dozen specific cases" regarding Taiwanese citizens holding Chinese IDs, said Liang Wen-chieh, MAC deputy head and spokesperson. The MAC's actions follow these revelations, underscoring Taiwan's strict adherence to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.
"After verification by the relevant authorities, the Taiwanese citizenship of three individuals, including Lee Tung-hsien and Su Shih-en, has been revoked," Liang told a news conference in Taipei. The revocation is due to their possession of Chinese IDs, which violates the Cross-Strait Act. Under this act, Taiwanese citizens are prohibited from having Chinese household registration or a passport from China. Violators could lose their Republic of China household registration, citizenship, and related rights such as eligibility to participate in elections or hold public office.
According to Chinese law, obtaining a Chinese ID requires a Chinese household registration, necessitating the presentation of a Chinese household registration book to authorities. When asked by CNA about the evidence or channels used to verify the individuals' possession of Chinese IDs, Liang stated that "it has been verified" without providing further details.
Liang further explained that if a former Taiwanese citizen wants to return to Taiwan, they will need to apply using documents issued by mainland authorities. He added, "Of course, you will no longer have access to National Health Insurance -- you will basically be regarded as a mainland Chinese."
The MAC's investigation follows claims made by Taiwanese YouTubers Pa Chiung and Chen Po-yuan in a documentary discussing China's united front efforts targeting Taiwan. The two-part series, released in December last year, has garnered significant attention with 5 million views as of Thursday. In the videos, Lee and Su admitted to holding Chinese IDs, while an unnamed intermediary claimed that approximately 100,000 Taiwanese citizens currently hold Chinese IDs.
Lee, identified as a pro-China figure, competed in taekwondo at the 2023 Asia Pacific Masters Games in South Korea, winning a bronze medal and displaying the Chinese national flag during the award ceremony. This act further fueled discussions regarding his affiliations and the broader implications of Taiwanese citizens holding Chinese identification.