Over 22,000 Taiwanese apply for Chinese residency in 10 days

ROC Central News Agency

2018/09/12 18:07:51

Beijing, Sept. 12 (CNA) Over 22,000 residents of Taiwan who have lived in China for longer than six months applied for mainland residency between Sept. 1 and Sept. 10, An Fengshan (安峰山), the spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said Wednesday, citing unofficial statistics.

Effective Sept. 1, China began issuing residence permits for Taiwanese living, working and studying in China, according to China's State Council.

The new residence permits for Taiwanese are different from China's resident identity cards, An said at a regular press conference, adding that the permits serve as "identity cards" to increase the convenience for Taiwanese living, working and studying in China and are unrelated to any adjustments to political rights and obligations.

Taiwanese applicants are not required to either register on China's household registration system or to have their Taiwanese household registrations automatically revoked, according to An.

The new system is not designed to replace Chinese travel permits for Taiwan residents and the rights granted to the travel permit holders will not be compromised by the issuance of the new residence permits, An said.

In addition, Taiwanese will not have their tax filing status or tax liabilities in China changed, regardless of whether they have obtained the new residence permits, An added.

(By Lawrence Chiu and Evelyn Kao)
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