The foreign ministry is warning that Taiwanese passports are being forged, with Chinese counterfeiters the chief culprits.
Deputy Foreign Minister Simon Ko briefed legislators on passport forgery during a discussion of proposed amendments to regulations enforcing passport laws.
Ko said that more than 140 countries and regions offer Taiwan passport holders visa-free entry or visas on arrival. This makes Taiwanese passports a desirable choice for human traffickers eager for easy access to third countries.
He said the proposed revisions would penalize those who use forged Taiwan passports or who use the passports as collateral to ensure border security.