A Chinese national warden is planning to challenge their removal from office.
Taiwan Village Warden Dismissed Over Chinese Citizenship
Taiwanese laws require that elected village or borough wardens must not hold any foreign nationality, and if they acquire or hold one, they are generally required to renounce it before assuming or continuing public office. This rule was recently exemplified in the case of Teng Wan-hua, a Taiwanese village warden who was dismissed from her position due to holding Chinese citizenship.
According to reports, Teng was born in China and moved to Taiwan 28 years ago, obtaining her Taiwanese ID card 17 years ago. She first ran for Syuetian Village warden in Fuli Township in 2022, but her Chinese nationality was identified, leading to her dismissal.
The Local Government Act (Article 82) requires the township office to oust Teng and appoint someone else, despite the township office offering a different perspective. The case has been a subject of controversy, with Teng claiming that her misinterpretation of Article 20 led to her dismissal and she did not receive her salary for two months.
Article 20 of the Nationality Act states that a national of the Republic of China who acquires the nationality of another country shall have no right to hold government offices of the ROC. However, in Teng's case, China does not acknowledge Taiwanese nationality and has refused to grant her documents to substantiate her renunciation of Chinese citizenship.
The township office can only request revocation of Teng's household registration in China, but it is not enough to prove she has lost her Chinese nationality. Teng has offered to sign an affidavit declaring she will never resume her Chinese citizenship, return to China, or contact her relatives there.
It is worth noting that public office holders at the village or borough level in Taiwan cannot legally maintain dual citizenship, especially foreign nationality that conflicts politically or legally with Taiwanese sovereignty, such as Chinese citizenship. Failure to renounce foreign nationality leads to disqualification or dismissal from office to ensure allegiance and legal compliance with Taiwan's national laws.
The case of Teng Wan-hua serves as a demonstration that Taiwan enforces these nationality rules rigorously for township-level political positions to prevent conflicts of interest or divided loyalty. Teng, who supports her seriously ill husband and minor children, plans to file an administrative appeal against her removal from office due to her People's Republic of China nationality.
In a related development, Fuli Township Mayor Chiang Tung-cheng stated that Taiwan and China are "the two sides of the Taiwan Strait" rather than "two countries." This statement, while not directly related to Teng's case, adds to the ongoing debate about Taiwan's political status and its relationship with China. It would be more appropriate to let the court decide on Teng's case, as it involves interpretations of the Nationality Act and the Local Government Act.
- The dismissal of Taiwanese village warden Teng Wan-hua emphasizes the importance of Taiwanese laws regarding political office, particularly the ban on maintaining dual citizenship, especially those that conflict with Taiwanese sovereignty, such as Chinese citizenship.
- The ongoing controversy surrounding Teng Wan-hua's dismissal and her bid to file an administrative appeal highlights the intersection of war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and politics, as well as the broader general news topic of Taiwan's political status and its relationship with China.
