TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Premier Chen Chien-jen confirmed on Friday (March 1) that there are no plans underway to revise laws to reduce the time required for local spouses from China to obtain Taiwanese citizenship.
"Compared to other foreign spouses in Taiwan, we provide more protection for the rights of Chinese spouses. Due to significant political, legal, and social differences between China and Taiwan, we do not have such a plan to amend the law," Chen remarked earlier that day.
The Premier believes this issue requires a comprehensive and discrete review before making any moves; hence, the Executive Yuan reserves its position on the opposition party's suggested revisions.
He further stressed that the government has always placed great importance on the rights of Chinese spouses in Taiwan, offering strong protection under the current law.
Raising objections, KMT Legislator Hsu Yu-chen responded that "Not only does this violate equality under the constitution, it also makes spouses from China feel discriminated."
"The Executive Yuan should reverse course and align this waiting period with that for other foreign spouses, instead of governing based on political ideology," she added.
Representatives from the Kuomintang (KMT) put forth a bill signed by 17 legislators hoping to minimize waiting time for the Chinese spouses' citizenship a day earlier.