Taipei: Taiwan's top China affairs official on Monday declined to respond to inquiries from Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Legislator Li Chen-hsiu, originally from China, during a legislative committee session, citing legal restrictions concerning her eligibility to hold office. Chiu Chui-cheng, head of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), stated that engaging with someone not legally recognized as a legislator could be deemed unconstitutional and unlawful.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Legislative Yuan holds the authority to remove a legislator under the Nationality Act. Nonetheless, Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu of the Kuomintang (KMT) emphasized that Li's legislative status should remain intact until a "final judicial ruling is made," with no current actions indicating her removal from office. Li, who has already taken her oath, is not facing any legal proceedings despite claims of her occupying a legislative seat unlawfully.

During a joint interpellation session with TPP lawmakers Chen Ching-lung and Chen Gau-tzu, Chiu addressed concerns about Li's qualifications. He pointed out that Li failed to renounce her Chinese household registration "in a timely manner as required by law," violating the Cross-Strait Act eligibility requirements. Furthermore, Chiu noted that Li did not comply with the Nationality Act's mandate to exhibit "sole allegiance to the Republic of China (ROC)," highlighting Article 20, which disallows ROC nationals with other nationalities from holding ROC government positions.

Li had initiated the session with remarks suggesting that neither the MAC, the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), nor the Executive Yuan held the authority to decide a legislator's status. She warned against executive overreach into legislative prerogatives, arguing it could undermine Taiwan's democratic framework. Li further criticized the Executive Yuan for its unprecedented role in determining the Legislature's oversight capabilities, describing it as a constitutional overreach.

Despite her attempts to engage Chiu with questions, including requests to read specific constitutional articles, Chiu refrained from responding directly. Instead, he addressed the questions through committee convener Liao Hsien-hsiang of the KMT, maintaining this approach throughout the session.

This is not the first instance of government officials refusing to engage with Li. The previous week, Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang and other MOI officials similarly avoided direct questioning from Li during a committee meeting, despite her repeated requests.

Taiwan's Constitution grants legislators the right to question government officials, and the Legislative Yuan's governing law mandates that officials should not refuse to respond, withhold information, or give false answers.