Taipei: Local activists held a protest in Taipei on Thursday, calling on the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) to apologize for requiring Chinese spouses to submit proof of having renounced their Chinese household registration, but the agency said no apology was necessary.

According to Focus Taiwan, the protest was organized by the civic group Taiwan International Family Association (TIFA) and the left-wing People’s Democratic Party and was held outside the Joint Central Government Office Building in Taipei, where the MAC is located. The protest attracted about 20 participants who argued that the MAC’s policy had led to discrimination against Chinese spouses in Taiwan, urging the agency to issue a formal apology.

The controversy stems from a requirement by the National Immigration Agency (NIA), which sent notices to some Chinese spouses in Taiwan in early April, asking them to submit proof of having renounced their household registration in China within three months. This requirement is based on the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, which mandates that people in Taiwan cannot have household registrations in Mainland China.

Of the over 140,000 Chinese spouses granted “Taiwan status,” more than 130,000 have already complied, leaving around 12,000 who received notices from the NIA. Liang Wen-chieh, MAC deputy head and spokesperson, provided these statistics.

The protesting groups criticized the MAC’s policy as “absurd and burdensome,” arguing that the authorities previously chose not to enforce the rules when granting household registrations. They called for the MAC to cease demanding additional documents and to maintain the Taiwanese household registration for those yet to comply.

In response, Liang stated at a news briefing that the MAC saw no reason for an apology, as many Chinese spouses had already completed the necessary procedures. He emphasized that the requirement is a legal one meant to ensure the stability of Chinese spouses’ legal status in Taiwan.

Liang also noted that some Chinese spouses and their children, who meet certain conditions like serious illnesses or injuries, can submit an affidavit as an alternative or request a deferral for submitting proof of deregistration. He reported that out of the 12,146 individuals required to submit proof, 6,087 had complied, and 2,695 qualified for exemptions or deferrals.