President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) has cautioned Taiwanese citizens against China's reported efforts to lure them into applying for Chinese ID cards and residency permits. He urges citizens to avoid decisions that could lead to greater risks in the future.
The issue gained traction after YouTubers Pa Chiung (八炯) and Chen Po-yuan (陳伯源) released a video on Saturday alleging that China has lured Taiwanese citizens to obtain Chinese ID cards while keeping their Taiwanese documents.
Following his New Year speech on Wednesday, President Lai responded to the claims that tens of thousands of Taiwanese have already obtained Chinese ID cards. Lai says that people must not sacrifice long-term safety for short-term gains adding that democracy is priceless, and freedom is not a currency to trade. President Lai also instructed government agencies to raise public awareness about the issue, ensuring citizens understand the gravity of the situation and avoid making misguided decisions.
Lai added that Taiwan is open to respectful cross-strait exchanges but criticized Beijing for restrictive policies, citing that over two million Taiwanese traveled to China last year, while only 285,000 Chinese visited Taiwan.