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Government to help would-be soldier resolve dual nationality problem

ROC Central News Agency

2010/09/03 19:01:15

By Kelven Huang and Y.L. Kao

Taipei, Sept. 3 (CNA) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) promised Friday to help a new university graduate who wants to serve in the military but is unable to because he holds dual nationality.

The man, surnamed Shih, who graduated from National Taiwan University earlier this year, has passed all phases of the testing process to enroll in a volunteer reserve officer training program, but has found it impossible to progress further in his quest to serve, opposition Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tsai Huang-liang said at a press conference to highlight Shih's plight.

Unlike the compulsory national service system in which all Republic of China males living in Taiwan are required to serve whether they hold dual nationality or not, those who wish to pursue a professional military career are not permitted to hold a passport from another country.

Shih was born in Bolivia and and has both Bolivian and ROC nationality. He came to Taiwan at the age of three and has never returned to Bolivia, Tsai said.

In 2008, Shih went on to study in the United States, traveling on his ROC passport, the legislator continued.

He was recently instructed by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to give up his Bolivian nationality by March 28, 2011 to make himself eligible to serve in accordance with the Nationality Act, or face having his qualifications to enroll in the training program revoked, Tsai said.

According to the Bolivian government, however, there is "no need" for Shih to give up his Bolivian nationality because that country acknowledges dual nationality. It therefore refused to issue a verification document of Shih's relinquishment of his Bolivian nationality, according to Tsai, who asked the MND to turn a blind eye in this case.

In response, Bai Chieh-lung, an MND human resources official, said that the military carries out its responsibilities in accordance with the law and that the law is clear that Shih must file evidence proving he has relinquished his Bolivian nationality.

Chen Shou-han, a MOFA legal official, said that Shih's relinquishment of his Bolivian nationality cannot be validated based only on unilateral recognition by Taiwan, and that the MOFA will instruct its representatives based in Bolivia to gain an understanding of that country's laws and seek ways to help Shih give up his Bolivian nationality.