In a bizarre misstep, Denmark has reportedly been changing the nationality of some Taiwanese residents to “Chinese” on their residence ID cards. The issue came to light when a Taiwanese woman, Liao Tzu-jung, who recently moved to Denmark with her Danish partner Daniel Mulnaes, received her residence card in February, only to find her nationality listed as “Citizen of China.”
The residence ID cards serve as proof of permission to reside in the country. In the past, Taiwanese nationals were allowed to list their country of origin as “Taiwan” on these cards.
Liao expressed shock and surprise at the error, stating, “My partner has always said that Denmark is a country that respects everyone. It is a country for freedom.” This sentiment reflects a common perception of Denmark as a liberal and inclusive society.
According to Danish newspaper Berlingske, at least 10 Taiwanese residents have been affected by this new policy. The government department responsible for issuing these ID cards, the Agency for International Recruitment (SIRI), has labeled the nationality change as a “regrettable mistake.”
SIRI explained that the change was necessary because Denmark does not officially recognize Taiwan as a state and, therefore, Taiwanese nationals must be registered under a recognized country, in this case, China. They claimed that the previous practice of registering Taiwanese as being from Taiwan was a “mistake” resulting from a “non-uniform practice” within the agency.
This policy change has not gone unnoticed by Taiwanese officials. Michael Danielsen, Chair of Taiwan Corner, described it as a “paradigm shift” in Denmark’s policy, suggesting that Denmark is aligning itself more closely with Beijing’s “one China” principle, which considers Taiwan an integral part of China.
While the Danish government has stated that the nationality listed on the residence ID cards should not affect the rights of its holders, concerns have been raised about potential complications. Liao pointed out that being registered as “Chinese” could lead to issues with banking, insurance, and other services. Additionally, if she were to marry her partner in Denmark, she would be registered as “Chinese,” potentially causing problems if she were to return to Taiwan.
In response to the situation, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has expressed serious concern to the Danish government and urged prompt correction of the issue to “safeguard the dignity of our nation and the rights of Taiwanese nationals residing abroad.”
The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to respond to requests for comment on its policy toward Taiwanese nationals. The situation highlights the complexities of international relations and the importance of clear and consistent policies in dealing with sensitive issues like nationality and sovereignty.
(Source: Taiwan News)
