The Kuomintang (KMT) seeks to reduce restrictions for Chinese nationals in Taiwan as a controversial proposal reaches the Legislature’s plenary session agenda for this Friday.
KMT Legislator Yu Hao (游顥) recently proposed an amendment to the Act Governing Relations between People of the Taiwan Area and Mainland Area that would shorten the residency period needed for naturalization from six years to four years.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesperson Justin Wu (吳崢), Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇), and Legislator Lin Chu-yin (林楚茵) held a press conference this Wednesday regarding the proposals. They claimed that the KMT’s proposed amendments to the Cross-Strait Act and Offshore Islands Development Act, in addition to this recent proposal, are all examples of the KMT’s efforts to weaken Taiwan’s sovereignty, and warned that the “red infiltration” is already taking hold.
Wu underlined a National Security Bureau report stating that around two-thirds of communist spy suspects were retired or active military personnel. He highlighted the CCP’s gray zone attacks, submarine cable destruction off the coast of Keelung, and the Rehabilitation Alliance Party’s alleged recruitment of veterans as key members of the party on China’s dime as proof that China is systematically infiltrating Taiwan. Wu claims that the KMT’s amendments are all helping China open backdoors.
KMT responded to the accusations with spokesperson Yang Zhi-yu’s (楊智伃) statement that the DPP has developed the habit of claiming to resist China and protect Taiwan even with matters not involving China. Yang clarified that the proposed amendment to shorten naturalization residency requirements aims to move Taiwan towards a more diverse society, and that the Offshore Islands Development Act amendment aims to bring outlying islands into focus as part of national development.
Yang maintains that the DPP should voice any differing opinions as part of the amendment process rather than fearmongering with “red infiltration.”