Taipei [Taiwan], January 5 : Taiwan's Ministry of the Interior (MOI) on Sunday discovered that several borough chiefs held Chinese citizenship and called upon them to give up their citizenship, Taiwan News reported.
Further, the Ministry clarified its directive to five borough chiefs requiring them to relinquish their Chinese citizenship is based on Taiwanese law and does not constitute any 'political persecution'.
The ministry on Thursday issued letters to their respective district offices, instructing them to address the matter in accordance with the Nationality Act and the Household Registration Act, as per Taiwan News.
According to the MOI statement, "Public officials in Taiwan are obligated to demonstrate loyalty to the nation."
The Nationality Act mandates that elected officials renounce any foreign citizenship before taking office and complete the renunciation process within one year, it added
The ministry further explained that individuals from China who cancel their Chinese household registration under the Cross-Strait Act and obtain Taiwanese citizenship are recognized as Taiwanese nationals. If they assume public office, they must comply with the Nationality Act by renouncing any foreign citizenship after being elected or taking their position.
Meanwhile, Taiwan has been detecting Chinese aircraft and naval vessels around its territory every day for some time.
On Sunday, they detected five People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft and six People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels.
In response to the PLA's activities, the MND initiated war-preparedness drills at strategic locations across the island and is closely coordinating with the Coast Guard Administration to implement appropriate countermeasures.
The Taiwan-China issue is a complex and longstanding geopolitical conflict centred on Taiwan's sovereignty. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), operates its own government, military, and economy, functioning as a de facto independent state.
However, China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and insists on the "One China" policy, which asserts that there is only one China, with Beijing as its capital.
This has fuelled decades of tension, especially since the Chinese Civil War (1945-1949), when the ROC government retreated to Taiwan after the Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, took control of mainland China.
Beijing has consistently expressed its goal of reunification with Taiwan, using diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to isolate Taiwan internationally. Meanwhile, Taiwan, supported by a significant portion of its population, continues to maintain its independence.
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