Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Alien Resident Certificates to Maintain "South Korea" Listing Based on Reciprocity

The Central News Agency reported that Taiwan's "Alien Resident Certificate" (ARC) nationality field was changed to "South Korea" on March 1st. This was a countermeasure against South Korea's electronic entry card, which had previously downgraded Taiwan. South Korea recently revised its electronic entry card on April 10th, removing the incorrectly listed "previous departure place" and "next destination" fields. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated today that based on the principle of reciprocity and overall system consistency, the ARC's nationality field will maintain its current listing. Spokesperson Xiao Guangwei confirmed that the previous discussion concerned South Korea's electronic entry system, and the ARC listing remains unchanged. It is understood that for over 10 years, South Korea's resident permits for Taiwanese listed their nationality as "China (Taiwan)," and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had negotiated with South Korea on this matter for years without resolution. Media also inquired about Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr.'s statement to Agence France-Presse on April 13th, where he revealed that Beijing had "very directly" asked Palau to abandon diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, but Palau refused. Xiao Guangwei condemned the Chinese government's continuous use of various means to coerce Taiwan's allies and undermine regional peace and stability. He stated that China has long used cooperation as a pretext to lure other countries into debt traps. In response to China's constant efforts to win over Taiwan's allies and compress Taiwan's international space, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to respond with "comprehensive diplomacy" to actively maintain diplomatic ties with allies and expand Taiwan's international space. Xiao Guangwei pointed out that Taiwan-Palau relations are solid and friendly, and Whipps Jr. has publicly warned against China's actions in multiple international forums. Taiwan will continue to promote the "Glorious Nation Project" with Whipps Jr. and the people of Palau in various fields, and work with like-minded partners to maintain good governance and peace in the Pacific region.