A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official set to be posted to Taiwan’s representative office in Macau was unable to obtain a visa from the Macau government after refusing to sign an affidavit recognizing Beijing’s “one China” principle, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said.
The previous ministry official stationed in the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Macau returned to Taiwan on Tuesday last week after being posted there for more than 10 years, MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said on Thursday.
However, another ministry official set to fill the vacant post was unable to obtain a visa “as the Macau government continues to unilaterally impose a political condition for visa applications,” he said.
Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
The government of the Chinese special administrative region required the new appointment to sign an affidavit adhering to Beijing’s “one China” principle that “our side cannot agree to,” Liang said, adding that it resulted in the ministry official being unable to take up the post in Macau.
Since 2019, the Macau government has required Taiwanese officials at TECO-Macau, which is administered by the MAC, to sign affidavits recognizing Beijing’s “one China” principle to be issued with new visas.
Taiwanese staffers posted to Macau before the implementation of the measure have been able to stay in the territory by extending their original visas.
It was not feasible to request that the recently returned ministry official remain in Macau, Liang said, adding that the Macau government should “not impose unnecessary obstacles” to new appointments taking up their posts.
If the Macau government continues to insist on such requirements for Taiwanese officials, we would “prepare for the worst” Liang said, without specifying what actions would be taken.
He also said that it would undoubtedly affect civil exchanges between Taiwan and Macau and damage the city’s international image.
Liang said that the former official’s past duties included assisting with matters related to passports, entry and exit certificates, and visas.
Those services would now be handled through online appointments and remote monitoring, causing significant inconvenience, he added.
Information provided by the MAC showed that TECO-Macau is staffed by eight Taiwanese officials, from government agencies, such as the ministry, the MAC and the National Immigration Agency.
After the departure of the ministry official, only two Taiwanese officials, both MAC staff members who have been posted in the Chinese city for about eight years remain, along with 14 local Macau employees.
