Taiwan's Coast Guard Personnel: No PRC Permanent Residency, Minister Confirms

Reassuring Transparency: Kuan Bi-ling Addresses Concerns Regarding Chinese Residency among Coast Guard Staff.

Taipei, April 17 – In a statement aimed at transparency and security, Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Minister Kuan Bi-ling (管碧玲) confirmed that no personnel within the Taiwanese coast guard currently hold Chinese passports or "certificates of registered permanent residence" in the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Minister Kuan clarified that while some Coast Guard Administration (CGA) personnel previously held PRC-issued "residence permits" for Taiwanese residents, these have either been canceled or are in the process of being canceled, in accordance with the law. Furthermore, she emphasized that none of these individuals had access to sensitive information, addressing potential security vulnerabilities.

The Minister’s comments were made in response to inquiries from journalists, before delivering a report to the Legislative Yuan's Internal Administration Committee on Thursday. This follows a related statement from Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄), who announced that 62 Taiwanese military personnel currently possess Chinese residence permits, including two serving in Taiwan's volunteer forces.

It is important to note that while holding a "residence permit" issued by the Chinese government is not illegal in Taiwan, possessing PRC-issued passports or maintaining household registration in China is strictly prohibited under Taiwanese law.