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進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 MOFA defends ban on passport cover stickers
Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Legislator Tsai Chi-chang holds up copies of modified Republic of China passports in the Legislative Yuan in Taipei on Oct 2. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times
By Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday defended its proposed addendum to the Enforcement Rules of the Passport Act （護照條例施行細則） that bans any modifications of the nation’s passport’s design, amid growing criticism that the policy is aimed at a passport sticker movement.
“Item 2, Article 2 of the Enforcement Rules of the Passport Act bars individuals from making any modifications to or putting unwarranted stamps in the passport,” Bureau of Consular Affair Director-General Kung Chung-chen （龔中誠） said.
Kung said the ban was incorporated into Item 2, Article 5 of the Passport Act （護照條例）, via an amendment to the statute passed by the legislature in May that is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1.
In an effort to clarify the regulations and supplement the amendment, Kung said the ministry drew up a revised version of the Enforcement Rules of Passport Act that includes a more precise definition of the ban.
Kung’s remarks came one day after a user of the Professional Technology Temple （PTT）, the nation’s largest academic online bulletin board, posted a copy of Monday’s Executive Yuan gazette that detailed the proposed revision.
The user highlighted the addendum that said: “[The ban] set forth by Item 2, Article 5 of the Passport Statute on modification, alteration or stamps to the passport refers to any unauthorized acts made to the cover, back cover or inner pages of a passport that could affect its original appearance.”
The post quickly drew critics who accused the ministry of trying to clamp down on people covering the “Republic of China” （ROC） seal on the passport cover with a “Republic of Taiwan” sticker.
Some of the critics accused the government of spending too much time on trivial matters and ignoring pressing issues such as the nation’s sluggish economy.
The ministry’s proposed addendum would also take effect on Jan. 1, as amendments to enforcement rules of an act only need to be sent to the legislature and put on record for future reference.
Kung said that while he respects freedom of expression and the public’s right to political differences, the ministry has received many complaints that putting stickers on the passport’s cover could undermine its credibility and dignity.
Violators could see the processing time for passport renewal applications lengthened to up to six months, the validity of their passports reduced to less than three years, or their passports revoked, he said.
The designer of the “Republic of Taiwan” sticker, who identified himself as Lao Tan （老丹）, yesterday urged legislators to review the proposed addendum.
“Lawmakers should also demand that the ministry nullify or make changes to the revision should they find it ... unconstitutional or constituting the suppression of free will,” Lao Tan said in a Facebook post.
More than 250,000 copies of his sticker have been sent out since it was first printed on July 14, he said.
Lao said the stickers started off as an “intervention movement” against the ROC’s culture, but it has gradually evolved into a national identity movement.
Taiwan Society vice president Winston Yu （余文儀） said the ministry also bans the “Taiwan is my country” stickers, which amounts to a step backward for democracy and an attempt to isolate Taiwan.
“The ministry’s policy is apparently aimed at forcing Taiwan to adhere to the ‘one China’ principle by denying Taiwan’s existence. I strongly oppose such a policy,” Yu said.
While he does not agree with adding a “Republic of Taiwan” sticker to a passport cover because it could spark controversies, the government should at least allow people to attach such stickers to the back cover since as an exercise of their freedom of speech, Yu said.（Additional reporting by Lee Hsin-fang）
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
