MOJ wants fingerprinting of PRC visitors ready soon

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on April 25, 2006. It reports that according to the Ministry of Justice, the requirement for Chinese visitors to have their fingerprints taken upon arrival should be implemented as soon as possible.

The fingerprinting regulation is prescribed in the newly revised Statute Governing the Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area. At present, certain categories of Chinese citizens, including professionals and technicians, can visit Taiwan. the newly revised statue on cross-strait exchanges requires fingerprinting for these Chinese citizens, but the requirement has not been implemented because some complementary measures have yet to be finalized.

The government in Taiwan is currently preparing to open the door for ordinary Chinese citizens to sightsee in Taiwan. According to the Ministry of Justice, it will push for a further law revision to require fingerprinting for Chinese tourists, as well as Chinese fishery workers aboard Taiwanese fishing boats and seized illegal Chinese immigrants.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the lack of a databank on personal information of Chinese nationals makes it difficult to investigate crimes that involve Chinese visitors. This poses a major risk to local law and order.

Specifically, because no personal data such as fingerprints, DNA files or criminal records of Chinese visitors are available, it is very difficult for investigation and police authorities to nab Chinese criminals, no matter they entered Taiwan legally or illegally.

Via the Taiwan High Court, the Ministry of Justice has notified local district courts and prosecutors to detain or ask for jail terms for Chinese nationals who commit serious crimes in Taiwan.

According to statistics provided by the Ministry of Justice, from 2001 to 2005, crimes perpetrated by Chinese nationals in Taiwan were mainly related to document forgery and violations of national security.