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Abstract
Many researchers have redefined citizenship to better understand the membership status aspired and demanded by contemporary migrants. As a result, the concept of ‘membership’ as opposed to citizenship was proposed in delineating the decoupling between citizenship and nationality; immigrant demands for rights and state policies in response can thereby be interpreted without considering the political meanings of citizenship. However, the decoupling of citizenship and national identity can be challenged when it comes to dual citizenship, especially when the homeland and host states are engaged in political tensions. This article examines the shifting policies of China (the People's Republic of China, or PRC) and Taiwan (the Republic of China, or ROC) towards the citizenship conferred to Taiwanese migrants in China. The findings of this research suggest that political dimension (including political rights and obligations) should be regarded as an integral part of citizenship (i.e. national membership) especially in the rival-state context. The Taiwan–China case can contribute to our understanding of citizenship policy changes under the double pressure of inter-state rivalry and globalization. The globalizing forces help create conditions for ‘flexible citizenship’ in the ‘zones of hypergrowth’, while in the case of Taiwan–China inter-state competition draws governments and people back to zones of loyalty, the nationally defined memberships.
Notes
1. Although Taiwan lacks widespread international recognition as a legitimate Chinese nation-state, until now both states across the Taiwan Strait have claimed that they are in a ‘civil war’ over the legitimacy of ruling each other.
2. For a more detailed background about the development of cross-strait tensions, please refer to Anderson (2004).
3. The great majority of migrants legally residing in Taiwan are spouses of Taiwanese who migrated via marriage.
4. The ROC Constitution listed overseas Chinese affairs among ROC's ‘fundamental national policies’. As a result, the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission (OCAC) has long been established in cabinet level to serve Chinese diasporas whose ancestors migrated from China to worldwide. Later, when the number of migrants from Taiwan to other countries grew, the council began to incorporate these ‘new diasporas’ into their missions. However, OCAC excludes those migrating to China, Hong Kong, and Macau as ‘overseas diaspora’.
5. This is a semi-official agency assisting the Taiwan government in dealing with logistics associated with citizens involved in cross-strait matters.
6. Please refer to http://www.sef.org.tw/html/seftb/seftb1/seftb1.htm.
7. Although there are some English-speaking schools in Taiwan, all of them require the applicants to have nationalities other than Taiwanese.
8. Legislation debate, first committee meeting of interior affairs and ethnic minorities committee on revising laws governing relations between Taiwan residents and China residents, 2002, p. 15.