Because of the political changes in Macau and Hong Kong since these polities were taken over by the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of China is considering proposals to be stricter about granting permanent residency to persons who have emigrated from those places (“Taiwan mulls stricter citizenship rules,” Taipei Times, March 3, 2025).
One proposal would lengthen the amount of time an immigrant must reside in Taiwan before becoming eligible to be a permanent resident. Instead of one year, four years. And the possibility of becoming a citizen would be taken off the table.
The proposal was being considered in response to the changing situation in Hong Kong, to which more than 2 million mainland Chinese have migrated since the 1997 handover of the territory, the source said.
Taiwan’s relaxed immigration policies for Hong Kongers has become a major national security loophole, especially after Beijing imposed the territory’s National Security Law in 2020, which significantly altered Hong Kong’s landscape and enhanced the authorities’ power, they said.
A related proposal—how can this be a new thing?—pertains to the applications for permanent residency of persons “from Hong Kong or Macau who have worked for the CCP, the Chinese military or Chinese public institutions”; these persons “would be strictly scrutinized and potentially have their applications denied….
“The proposal would bring rules for Hong Kong and Macau residents in line with those of immigrants from other countries, and would still be more lenient than the rules for applicants applying from China, they said, adding that Chinese must stay in Taiwan for six years before they may apply for a national ID card.”
The government says it will talk to Hong Konger groups in Taiwan before enacting the changes.
The proposed tougher requirements seem reasonable enough and may even still be too lax. Does it matter whether a Chinese Communist Party agent or saboteur is a temporary resident or permanent resident or pretend-citizen while in Taiwan doing whatever he is doing in obedience to his masters across the strait? On the other hand, even someone who has worked for the Party may be a genuine refugee or defector.
