Nationality Law of The Republic of China - Post World War II Controversy

Post World War II Controversy

The book On Taiwan's Status and Relations, edited by National Chengchi University history professor Hsueh Hua-yuan, has points out this problem. The Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed on April 17, 1895, in the Japanese city that lends the treaty its name. It came into effect on May 8 that same year. According to the treaty, Taiwan belonged to Japan, but people living in Taiwan were given "the opportunity to choose their nationality" by either leaving or staying within two years of the treaty being signed.

On the other side, the nationality law of ROC was first promulgated by the Nationalist Government on February 5, 1929, when Taiwan was still under Japanese rule. However in 1946, the ROC government announced that the people living in Taiwan had "regained" their status as ROC nationals, which gave rise to diplomatic protests from the UK and the US. Up to the present day, this Nationality Law has been revised by the Taipei-based Legislative Yuan in 2000, 2001, and 2006. The inclusion of native Taiwanese people within its scope of application has been controversial, with some opponents of Republic of China rule over Taiwan arguing that the law has "forced" citizenship onto Taiwanese people. These opponents generally are supporters of Taiwan independence.