Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) yesterday dismissed media speculation that his proposed amendment targeting government officials over foreign residency could put President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) in an uncomfortable position.
“Ma’s US green card has been invalidated. He does not have either a green card or dual citizenship,” Wu told reporters. “The proposed amendment has nothing to do with Ma.”
Despite objections from the Ministry of the Interior, the Legislative Yuan’s Internal Administration Committee on Monday completed a preliminary review of a proposed amendment to the Nationality Act (國籍法), barring anyone with permanent residency status in another country from holding public office.
“Barring officials from holding foreign residency has symbolic implications on his or her loyalty to this country. [The amendment] is a way to enhance public trust in the government,” said Wu, who presided over Monday’s meeting.
The current version of the Nationality Act only prohibits people with citizenship in another country from serving in office.
The proposed amendment, however, prompted concerns within political circles, as Ma would be required to present documents proving the loss of his green card if the amendment cleared the legislature.
During the presidential campaign last year, Democratic Progressive Party presidential candidate Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) alleged that Ma still possessed a green card.
Ma said his green card, which he obtained in the 1970s, was automatically invalidated when he applied for a US visa in 1985.
He has never made the Abandonment of Alien Status as a Lawful Permanent Resident form (I-407), or any other evidence, public.
KMT Legislator Lo Shu-lei (羅淑蕾) said every government official should abide by the amendment if it was adopted.
“Even the president must follow the law,” Lo said.
KMT Legislator Chen Hsiu-ching (陳秀卿) opposed the proposal, however, saying the ban could discourage overseas talent from serving in government.
During a question-and-answer session with Chen, Premier Liu Chao-shiuan (劉兆玄) said he was in favor of barring political appointees and senior Cabinet officials from holding residency in another country, but said he had reservations as to whether the restriction should apply to ordinary public officials.
Minister of the Interior Liao Liou-yi (廖了以) said the ministry had not probed the foreign residency status of all public officials.
He said a study of the impact of the proposed amendment would have to be prepared before the second and third readings of the bill.
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
President William Lai (賴清德) has appointed former vice president Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) to attend the late Pope Francis’ funeral at the Vatican City on Saturday on his behalf, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today. The Holy See announced Francis’ funeral would take place on Saturday at 10am in St Peter’s Square. The ministry expressed condolences over Francis’ passing and said that Chen would represent Taiwan at the funeral and offer condolences in person. Taiwan and the Vatican have a long-standing and close diplomatic relationship, the ministry said. Both sides agreed to have Chen represent Taiwan at the funeral, given his Catholic identity and
RSS