[Politics] Regulations for Civil Servants Visiting Relatives in China Questioned for Legal Basis; Mainland Affairs Council: Authorized by Cross-Strait Regulations
RtiTalk 小編16d ago
Deputy Minister of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), Eric Chu, explained at a regular press conference that civil servants applying to visit relatives in China must provide information such as the names of relatives and friends, and the applicant's contact phone number in China. This has been questioned by legislators from the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Taiwan People's Party (TPP), who allege that the MAC's actions infringe upon the privacy of civil servants' relatives and friends and clearly violate the principle of proportionality. The MAC issued a press release today (8th) stating that the Immigration Agency, as the competent authority, has established regulations for civil servants applying to visit relatives in China based on the authorization of the "Cross-Strait Regulations." These regulations have been in place since 2006 and are still being enforced. Although there have been changes in political parties, the regulations have remained unchanged. The MAC suggests that legislators consult with the competent authority before raising questions, as the authority will provide detailed and necessary explanations to avoid misunderstandings and help resolve social disputes.
According to information on the National Immigration Agency's website, political appointees, mayors of special municipalities, county magistrates, city mayors, personnel involved in national security, interests, or classified matters, and individuals involved in core national key technology businesses must provide relevant information when applying to visit China. Deputy Minister Chu also stated at a regular press conference on the 6th that before civil servants visit relatives in China, they must submit an application form to their respective agencies, which includes a list of relatives and friends in China and the applicant's contact phone number in China. This information is necessary for the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to know and does not excessively infringe upon the personal privacy of civil servants. This move has been criticized by KMT legislators Hung Yu-chen, Lai Shyh-bao, and TPP legislator Hsu Chung-hsin, among others. Lee Lai-hsi, former chairman of the National Civil Service Association, also questioned the legal basis for the MAC's actions.
The MAC explained today that the information required for civil servants applying to visit relatives in China is stipulated by the Immigration Agency, the competent authority, under the authorization of Article 9 of the "Cross-Strait Regulations." These regulations have been in place and enforced since 2006. They have been handled in the same manner under different political administrations and have not changed to date. Specifically, applications for visits to China by civil servants at or below the rank of Senior Executive Officer (Rank 10) who are not involved in classified matters are independently reviewed and approved by the respective central or local employing agencies. The MAC has never intervened in the internal personnel management operations of agencies.
The MAC emphasized that public policies in a democratic society can be discussed rationally, and the public can also offer reform suggestions for the competent authority to consider. Regarding media reports that civil servants must provide a list of relatives and friends to their agencies when applying to visit China, and criticisms from some legislators that the government's actions infringe upon the privacy of civil servants' relatives and friends or treat civil servants as spies, the MAC stated that legislators concerned about these issues can consult the Immigration Agency, the competent authority, before raising questions. The MAC believes that the competent authority will provide detailed and necessary explanations to help legislators understand the historical development of the regulations and their actual implementation over the years, thereby avoiding misunderstandings and helping to resolve social disputes. (Editor: Shen Chen-chiang)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=225074
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