Thousands of Chinese spouses living in Taiwan have responded to a government directive requiring them to submit proof of renouncing their household registration in mainland China by June 30, according to a report by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) cited by the Central News Agency (CNA).
Out of 12,146 individuals who were instructed to provide this documentation, 5,534 have already complied, said Liang Wen-chieh, deputy head and spokesperson for MAC. An additional 2,572 individuals, who are eligible for exemptions or deferrals due to serious health conditions or other qualifying reasons, have submitted affidavits in lieu of formal deregistration.
“As long as individuals are willing to engage with the legal process to obtain the necessary documentation, the majority of cases can be resolved,” Liang stated.
The requirement stems from the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, which stipulates that “the people of the Taiwan Area may not possess household registrations in the Mainland Area.” Non-compliance may result in loss of Taiwan residency status and associated rights.
According to Liang, among more than 140,000 Chinese spouses who have legal status in Taiwan, over 130,000 have already fulfilled this requirement. The current notices target approximately 12,000 individuals. Of those who have not yet responded, 1,803 are confirmed to be living overseas, while another 2,237 have not yet established contact. Efforts are ongoing to reach them, said the MAC.
Liang emphasized that revoking a person’s Taiwan status is a “serious matter”, and the government will continue to accept proof of deregistration after the deadline if the individual demonstrates clear intent to comply.
Some voices, however, have criticized the policy’s abruptness and potential impact on long-time residents. Liao, a commentator cited by CNA, said, “If over 10,000 Chinese spouses truly did not manage to complete the required processes at that time, then it would indicate a failure on the part of the government.”
Liao pointed out that many Chinese spouses face difficulties obtaining the required documentation, as Chinese local governments may no longer maintain older household records, or administrative structures might have changed.
He further argued that the policy has been perceived by some as a “political maneuver” motivated by anti-China sentiment and a “lack of trust” toward Chinese spouses who have lived in Taiwan for many years.
“This so-called political maneuver seems to be fueled by anti-China sentiment or an effort to express hostility toward China,” Liao said.
He concluded that the penalty of revoking citizenship over a single document violated the principle of proportionality, calling the consequence “severe.”