00:00New lawmakers from the Taiwan People's Party take the oath of office,
00:09including Li Zhenshou, who is making history as the first person with Chinese citizenship
00:14to serve in the country's legislature. This comes amid heated public debate over whether
00:20Li is eligible to hold office. Under Taiwan's laws, she needs to give up her People's Republic
00:25of China's citizenship to serve as a lawmaker. In her first media interview since taking
00:30office, she tried to address those concerns and stressed that her loyalties lie with Taiwan.
00:55Li came with receipts. She says she tried to renounce her Chinese citizenship last year,
01:05flying to Hong Kong and then taking the high-speed rail to Hunan province. She says she entered
01:10China using her Taiwanese passport and a travel permit for Taiwanese residents. But she said
01:16Chinese officials rejected her application, as China does not recognize Taiwan as a separate
01:21country. Some lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party argue that allowing Li
01:27to serve could potentially pose national security risks, as legislators have special access to
01:32sensitive information. The issue is a legal one. Under the Cross-Strait Act, Chinese citizens can run
01:55for election in Taiwan 10 years after moving their household registration, their official address
02:01from China to Taiwan. But under the Nationality Act, they need to prove they've applied to renounce
02:07their foreign citizenship before taking office and show proof of success within a year. The Mainland
02:14Affairs Council, which governs Cross-Strait Relations, said that the laws exist to prevent foreign loyalties
02:19from influencing Taiwan's government.
02:25And the meaning of the sake of the Chinese government
02:29It has to fulfil the法 and the法
02:33As for the state of the law
02:37like the state of the Constitution
02:40The Constitution of the National Security Council
02:44The Constitution of the Constitution
02:47If it hasn't removed any law
02:48And the state of the state of law
02:52In the past, China-born local officials in Taiwan have had their terms cut short
03:00because they were ultimately unable to renounce their Chinese citizenship.
03:04In fact, no Chinese citizen living in Taiwan has successfully done so.
03:09But experts say the main problem is Beijing's refusal to approve these applications,
03:14as all foreign nationals are subject to the same rules.
03:22Now, whether Li will be removed from office or set a new precedent for Chinese citizens
03:46seeking to get involved in Taiwanese politics rests with the Interior Ministry.
03:50Fu Hua Hong, Ryan Wu and Tiffany Wong in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.
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