TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF, 海基會) stated on Friday (Nov. 15) that the government will not intervene in personal matters and hopes that all couples in love can find happiness. Bo Guagua (薄瓜瓜), son of former Chinese official Bo Xilai (薄熙來), has arrived in Taiwan with a British passport from Canada to marry a Yilan woman, attracting significant attention.
SEF Secretary-General Lo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) expressed the universal wish that those in love find happiness regardless of religion, gender, or location, whether in a free country or an authoritarian society. He stated that the foundation has yet to receive Bo's application. If an application is submitted, it will be processed according to standard procedures without special treatment.
Lo emphasized that Taiwan, a society governed by the rule of law, allows freedom of speech without government interference. Lo also refrained from commenting on potential national security concerns related to Bo's family background, citing a lack of further information.
The process for marriage registration in Taiwan varies depending on nationality. If one party holds Chinese nationality, they must first register with China's Civil Affairs Bureau, obtain a notarized certificate, and then complete document verification with the SEF before applying to Taiwan's National Immigration Agency (移民署).
However, if Bo Guagua is a British national, SEF does not require document verification.