Taiwan Investigates Companies Assisting Citizens In Obtaining Chinese ID Cards

Taipei – Taiwan’s National Immigration Agency and national security officials have uncovered at least five companies assisting Taiwanese citizens in applying for Chinese identification cards, raising concerns over national security and potential legal violations, Taipei Times reported.

Key Findings from the Investigation

The issue surfaced after popular YouTuber “Pa Chiung” exposed that several Taiwanese firms were actively helping people obtain Chinese documents.

Last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang confirmed that three to five public relations firms—spread across northern and southern Taiwan—are now under investigation for possibly violating the Act Governing Relations Between the People of Taiwan and the Mainland.

Taiwan-Based Companies Under Investigation

Officials identified two firms operating in Taiwan:

1. A travel agency in Tainan – Offers a three-day package trip to China, which includes opening a bank account in Xiamen as part of the process.
2. A business in Banciao District, New Taipei City – Specializes in real estate, auto sales, and online advertising, but also facilitates Chinese ID applications during a two-night, three-day trip.

China-Based Companies Under Scrutiny

Three additional companies based in Fujian Province, China, are also under investigation:

1. Fujian Fa-cai Information Technology Ltd – Promotes large loans worth millions of yuan at extremely low interest rates to entice Taiwanese citizens to obtain Chinese ID cards.
2. A public relations firm in Xiamen – Advertises its services via social media to assist Taiwanese in the application process.
3. A firm in Zhangzhou Taiwanese Investment Zone – Allegedly founded by Taiwanese nationals, it targets young Taiwanese for Chinese ID card applications. Two men, Lin Chin-cheng and Su Shih-en, are accused of being involved.

Government Action & Legal Consequences

The Ministry of the Interior recently revoked Su Shih-en’s Taiwanese citizenship after he displayed his Chinese ID card in one of Pa Chiung’s videos about Beijing’s “united front” tactics.

An anonymous government official emphasized that assisting others in applying for Chinese ID cards is illegal.

• Legal Penalties: Businesses or individuals facilitating such applications could face fines between NT$100,000 to NT$500,000 under the Act Governing Relations Between the People of Taiwan and the Mainland.
• Allowed Services: Domestic travel agencies may only assist with Taiwan compatriot permits, not with Chinese permanent residence cards or ID cards.

With tensions between Taipei and Beijing escalating, authorities are intensifying efforts to prevent illegal cross-strait identity transactions that could pose security risks.