Taipei: A Taiwanese man, Chang Li-chi, has publicly criticized the government for what he describes as "abuse of power" and "unlawful repression" after losing his citizenship due to holding a Chinese permanent residence certificate. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has reinforced its commitment to uphold the law, asserting that its decisions should not be contested.
According to Focus Taiwan, Chang expressed his discontent in a video likely recorded in China, which was broadcasted on "Strait Express," a program by Southeast Television under Fujian Radio Film and TV Group. He argued that MAC's interpretation of the law, which led to his citizenship revocation, undermines Taiwan's principles of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.
MAC deputy head and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh confirmed the revocation of Chang's citizenship at a press conference. Going forward, Chang will need to obtain an entry permit to visit Taiwan. This development follows MAC's recent reinterpretation of Article 9-1 of the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, which now includes Chinese permanent residence certificates under documents that can result in loss of Taiwanese citizenship.
Previously, Article 9-1 was enforced only for Chinese household registrations, ID cards, and passports. The new interpretation marks Chang as the first individual to be affected by these changes. Chang, who teaches at Huaqiao University in Fujian, became the first Taiwanese to receive a Fujian permanent residence certificate in 2024 as part of a cross-strait integration initiative.
In his video statement, Chang criticized the MAC's legal interpretation as being insufficiently clear under the Cross-strait Act. He accused the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of attempting to destabilize cross-strait relations and ignoring the development opportunities for Taiwanese citizens in mainland China.
The MAC responded on Friday with a statement emphasizing their determination to enforce the law, indicating that any Taiwanese citizen confirmed to hold a Chinese household registration, permanent residence certificate, ID card, or passport will have their citizenship revoked, as per the Cross-Strait Act.
This action aligns with President Lai Ching-te's recent announcement of 17 strategies to address national security threats to Taiwan. One of these strategies mandates the MAC and other agencies to scrutinize ID documents obtained by Taiwanese military personnel, civil servants, and educators in China, aiming to deter potential united front operations disguised as development initiatives.