The The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday urged the public not to use People’s Republic of China (PRC) passports because it puts them at risk of losing the rights and benefits they have as Republic of China (ROC) citizens.
The council statement followed a report by Hong Kong-based Super Media on Friday that China might launch a pilot program to issue passports for people living in what it describes as the “Taiwan Special Administrative Region” (SAR) as part of its efforts to “solve the Taiwan problem.”
A China-based academic suggested that Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) establish a preparatory committee for a proposed “Taiwan SAR” and invite public figures from Taiwan to participate, the report said.
The committee would issue “Taiwan SAR” passports to Taiwanese living in Hong Kong and Macau, the report said.
“The proposal shows that the atmosphere in the Chinese government is such that it is risky not to toe the party line on the issue of Taiwan,” the council said.
Some people in the Chinese government are using the current political atmosphere as an opportunity to try to belittle and humiliate Taiwan, as well as to provoke the nation, it added
“They are trying to incite conflict between the two sides [of the Taiwan Strait], which we will not accept. We would also like to remind the Chinese Communist Party to be aware of the latent risk of what it is doing,” the council said.
Under Article 9-1 of the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (兩岸人民關係條例), Taiwanese are not permitted to use passports issued by the PRC. Violators face losing their ROC citizenship and all associated rights.
Article 33 of the act prohibits Taiwanese from engaging in Chinese political or military affairs, or from becoming a member of any Chinese party or government-affiliated group.
China’s use of threats and political pressure against Taiwan has only hurt Taiwanese’s sentiments toward China and has not helped cross-strait relations, the council said.
It also called on China to adopt a benevolent approach toward Taiwan given the circumstances.
Additional reporting by CNA
SEND A MESSAGE: Sinking the amphibious assault ship, the lead warship of its class, is meant to show China the US Navy is capable of sinking their ships, an analyst said The US and allied navies plan to sink a 40,000-tonne ship at the latest Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise to simulate defeating a Chinese amphibious assault on Taiwan. This year’s RIMPAC — the 29th iteration of the world’s largest naval exercise — involves the US, 28 partners, more than 25,000 personnel, 40 warships, three submarines and more than 150 aircraft operating in and around Hawaii from yesterday to Aug. 1, the US Navy said in a press release. The major components of the event include multidomain warfare exercises in multiship surface engagements, anti-submarine warfare and multi-axis defense of a carrier strike
Taiwanese could risk being extradited to China when traveling in countries with close ties to Beijing, Taiwan Association of University Professors deputy chairman Chen Li-fu (陳俐甫) said on Friday. Chen’s comments came after China on Friday last week announced new judicial guidelines targeting Taiwanese independence advocates. Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Djibouti are among the countries where Taiwanese could risk being extradited to China, he said. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Thursday elevated the travel alert for China, Hong Kong and Macau to “orange” after Beijing announced its guidelines to “severely punish Taiwanese independence diehards for splitting the country and inciting secession.” Extradition treaties
The airspace around Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) is to be closed for an hour on July 25 and July 23 respectively, due to the Han Kuang military exercises, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The annual exercise is to be held on Taiwan proper and its outlying islands from July 22 to 26. During last year’s exercise, the military conducted anti-aircraft landing drills at the Taoyuan airport for the first time, for which a one-hour no-fly ban was issued. Based on a live-fire bulletin sent out by the Maritime and Port Bureau, the nation’s
Taiwan and Thailand have signed an agreement to promote and protect bilateral investment and trade, the Executive Yuan’s Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) said on Friday. The agreement on “Promotion and Protection of Investments” was signed by Representative to Thailand Chang Chun-fu (張俊福) and Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei executive director Narong Boonsatheanwong on Thursday, the OTN said in a news release. Thailand has become the fifth trading partner to sign an investment agreement with Taiwan since 2016, following earlier agreements with the Philippines, India, Vietnam and Canada, the OTN said. The deal marks a significant milestone in the development of