Beijing may be tightening policies on granting travel papers for Taiwanese wishing to visit China in the aftermath of its recently established "Anti-Secession" Law, according to the nation's top cross-strait policymaking body.
While refraining from mentioning names or releasing relevant details, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairman Joseph Wu (
He said that the council would continue to keep an eye on such cases and confirm whether they were necessarily a direct result of Beijing's recently passed law. Beijing's Anti-Secession Law, which was passed on Monday by its top legislative organ, gives legal license to check so-called "secessionist" forces in Taiwan with "non-peaceful means or other necessary measures."
Wu made the comments yesterday at the Legislature during a short break in a question and answer session.
"China has always had unclear standards for authorization [of travel papers]," council Vice Chairman Chiu Tai-san (
Wu also said yesterday that Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou's (
Wu added that Chinese cross-strait academics had recently avoided visiting with council officials, a practice that has been common in the past.
"Article 4 of the bill states that accomplishing the great task of `reunifying' the motherland is the sacred duty of all Chinese people, the Taiwanese compatriots included," Wu said, adding that violations of that "duty" would be defined by Beijing.
"We will not stand in the way of anyone who wants to visit China, but they need to know that they go at their own risk," Wu said, commenting on KMT Vice Chairman Chiang Pin-kun's (
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SECURITY: The purpose for giving Hong Kong and Macau residents more lenient paths to permanent residency no longer applies due to China’s policies, a source said The government is considering removing an optional path to citizenship for residents from Hong Kong and Macau, and lengthening the terms for permanent residence eligibility, a source said yesterday. In a bid to prevent the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from infiltrating Taiwan through immigration from Hong Kong and Macau, the government could amend immigration laws for residents of the territories who currently receive preferential treatment, an official familiar with the matter speaking on condition of anonymity said. The move was part of “national security-related legislative reform,” they added. Under the amendments, arrivals from the Chinese territories would have to reside in Taiwan for
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