A group of Taiwanese students in Norway is planning to file a lawsuit against the Norwegian government for changing the nationality on their residency permits from Taiwan to China, a Taiwanese law student and lawyer representing the students said on Monday.
To pay for the legal proceedings, the students last month launched a fundraising campaign to raise about NT$4.88 million (US$158,617) for the four stages of the legal action, said the lawyer, who identified himself only as Joseph.
The students have so far raised about NT$2.12 million, topping the NT$1.22 million needed for the first phase of the process, he said, adding that the students expect to file the lawsuit next month at the earliest.
The lawyer, the founder of a campaign for Taiwanese to be given the correct nationality designation in Norway, said the Norwegian government first changed its residency permits from Taiwan to China in 2010.
Since Chinese writer and human rights activist Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in 2010, the Norwegian government has sought to distance itself from Taiwan over fears of further angering China, he said.
Despite repeated protests against the name change, the Norwegian government has failed to respond, which angered many Taiwanese students and prompted the decision to take further action, Joseph said.
In March last year, the Taiwanese students received legal assistance from a bar association in Oslo to file a petition with the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, accusing the Norwegian government of failing to respect the identity of Taiwanese.
The petition said the Norwegian government’s failure to respect Taiwanese identity contravened its constitution, the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
However, the directorate repeatedly postponed its review of the petition and finally rejected it on the grounds that the petitioners’ rights and obligations were not affected by the name change.
In March, the Taiwanese students filed a petition with the directorate’s Immigration Appeals Board, but the petition was rejected, citing the nation’s “one China” policy.
The petition has drawn attention from the media in Norway and Taiwan, and Aftenposten, Norway’s best-selling newspaper, published a major report on the incident, Joseph said.
After receiving such media coverage the Taiwanese students decided to file a lawsuit against the Norwegian government, he added.
The lawyer said if the students lose their lawsuit, they would appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, forcing the international community to address the issue of Taiwan’s sovereignty.
SECURITY: As China is ‘reshaping’ Hong Kong’s population, Taiwan must raise the eligibility threshold for applications from Hong Kongers, Chiu Chui-cheng said When Hong Kong and Macau citizens apply for residency in Taiwan, it would be under a new category that includes a “national security observation period,” Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said yesterday. President William Lai (賴清德) on March 13 announced 17 strategies to counter China’s aggression toward Taiwan, including incorporating national security considerations into the review process for residency applications from Hong Kong and Macau citizens. The situation in Hong Kong is constantly changing, Chiu said to media yesterday on the sidelines of the Taipei Technology Run hosted by the Taipei Neihu Technology Park Development Association. With
CARROT AND STICK: While unrelenting in its military threats, China attracted nearly 40,000 Taiwanese to over 400 business events last year Nearly 40,000 Taiwanese last year joined industry events in China, such as conferences and trade fairs, supported by the Chinese government, a study showed yesterday, as Beijing ramps up a charm offensive toward Taipei alongside military pressure. China has long taken a carrot-and-stick approach to Taiwan, threatening it with the prospect of military action while reaching out to those it believes are amenable to Beijing’s point of view. Taiwanese security officials are wary of what they see as Beijing’s influence campaigns to sway public opinion after Taipei and Beijing gradually resumed travel links halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the scale of
A US Marine Corps regiment equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) is set to participate in the upcoming Balikatan 25 exercise in the Luzon Strait, marking the system’s first-ever deployment in the Philippines. US and Philippine officials have separately confirmed that the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) — the mobile launch platform for the Naval Strike Missile — would take part in the joint exercise. The missiles are being deployed to “a strategic first island chain chokepoint” in the waters between Taiwan proper and the Philippines, US-based Naval News reported. “The Luzon Strait and Bashi Channel represent a critical access
Pope Francis is be laid to rest on Saturday after lying in state for three days in St Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met yesterday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as condolences poured in from around the world. According to current norms, the conclave must begin between May 5 and 10. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College
RSS