The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said it would propose amendments to echo President William Lai’s (賴清德) call for a “disclosure mechanism” for Taiwanese officials to travel to China.
Lai on Thursday called for a “disclosure mechanism” to ensure central and local government officials remain transparent and accountable to the public when visiting China for exchanges.
“From government officials to elected representatives, from legislators to village and borough wardens, all should make exchange information public and transparent to be accountable,” Lai said at a news conference at the Presidential Office.
Photo: Reuters
Calling China a “foreign adversary” in his speech, Lai added that the “disclosure mechanism” for organizations is intended to prevent Beijing’s “interference and united front efforts.”
DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) yesterday said party legislators are working with government officials, including at national security agencies, to enact the 17 proposals Lai made at Thursday’s national security meeting.
The caucus has drafted bills for some of the proposals and held discussions for others, she said.
The legislature must consider national security to be the top priority for every session in the face of China’s increasingly dangerous and sophisticated strategies to infiltrate Taiwanese society, she said.
The proposed changes would require lawmakers and elected representatives at the special municipality and county-level councils to obtain approval before traveling to China, she said.
Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) on Friday said the council urged Taiwanese to report to the government before traveling to China to protect their safety.
Meanwhile, a Ministry of the Interior official yesterday said benign, orderly and equitable exchanges with China are permitted for non-profit organizations and religious groups.
Religious groups are allowed to visit China, but must request approval from the Taiwanese government to sign any agreement, they said.
People involved in these exchanges should be vigilant about guarding their personal information against government-directed espionage or exploitation by fraudulent groups, they said.
Taiwanese planning to travel to China could voluntarily report to the Ministry of the Interior’s online platform “dynamic registry system for citizens traveling in China” (赴陸動態登錄系統), they said.
The record would allow the government to provide legal or other forms of assistance in case of an emergency that endangers the Taiwanese traveler, the official said.
Additional reporting by Lee Wen-hsin, Fang Wei-li and CNA
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