A member of the navy’s 168th Fleet was found to have a Chinese ID, sources from the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) said yesterday.
The MJIB found that the mother of the serviceman, surnamed Yang (楊), is Chinese, and had applied for Chinese ID cards for him and his elder sister while in China, sources said.
When their ID cards expired in 2022, she applied again and asked him not to tell others, they said.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
The MJIB is handling the case in accordance with the Act Governing the Relations Between People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例), they added.
The bureau has asked the National Immigration Agency to investigate the matter.
Holding a Chinese ID card is not only against the law, but also puts national security at risk, the bureau said.
Taiwanese found to have Chinese IDs or household registrations would be investigated by the Ministry of the Interior, it said.
The ministry is investigating more than 30 people for holding Chinese ID cards, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said earlier this month.
A Taiwanese citizen who has a household registration in China or holds a Chinese passport or ID card would have their Taiwanese household registration canceled in accordance with the law.
They would consequently lose their civil rights in Taiwan, including the right to vote and benefits such as National Health Insurance.
A source, who asked to be anonymous, said given that about 150,000 of the more than 380,000 Chinese married to a Taiwanese have obtained Taiwanese IDs, there must have been more who have applied for Chinese IDs for their children.
“A cockroach spotted in the light means more are hiding in the dark,” they said.
The Mainland Affairs Council yesterday said it has asked government agencies to reiterate that active members of the military, education and public services cannot have household registrations in China or apply for Chinese ID cards, permanent residence cards or residence permits.
The government will administer punishment according to the law if they are confirmed to have contravened the law after an investigation, it said.
Asked whether a serviceman suspected of holding a Chinese ID card like Yang would be stripped of his citizenship, the council said the case was disclosed by the news media, but the Ministry of National Defense has yet to carry out an administrative investigation.
The results of the investigation would be discussed with concerned authorities before further steps are taken, it added.
Taiwan Thinktank researcher Wu Se-chih (吳瑟致) said that military personnel who hold Chinese IDs pose a great risk to national security.
The children of Chinese spouses and other family members who are serving in the military or other public services cannot hold Chinese citizenship, as Beijing is an enemy state that wants to invade Taiwan, he said.
If the said serviceman involuntarily possesses a Chinese ID card that was obtained by his family, he should submit documents relinquishing his Chinese citizenship, he said.
The government should thoroughly examine whether Chinese spouses applying for Chinese ID cards is a single case or a widespread problem, as well as their motives, he added.
“Serving soldiers possessing Chinese citizenship is absolutely intolerable,” Wu said.
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