The discovery last month that a navy member had a Chinese citizen ID has set off alarm. Now, all career soldiers must declare and give up any Chinese ID cards. But for conscripts, having a Chinese ID won't be an excuse to get out of military service.
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00:00The military is on the lookout for soldiers holding one of these Chinese ID cards, a sign
00:05they've naturalized as Chinese citizens and therefore technically lost their rights as Taiwanese nationals.
00:11China claims Taiwan and often threatens to invade it to bring it under control and
00:16reports last month that a Navy member had a Chinese ID card set off an alarm with questions about whether China could be
00:22infiltrating the military under commanders noses.
00:25Career soldiers and officers must now declare and then give up their Chinese IDs.
00:30But there is a problem.
00:32Taiwan's military still relies on conscripts to fill its ranks, a harder and harder task as low birth rates lead to population decline.
00:41So while the military is also gathering info on conscripts with these Chinese IDs,
00:45it is decided that having one isn't an excuse to get out of military service.
00:50They may have lost their rights as Taiwanese, but not their obligations.
00:55This delicate situation has drawn reactions from across the political spectrum.
00:59Meanwhile, those who understand the military's working say there are steps that can lessen the risk of spying or sabotage.
01:29Whether or not this is viable, the government is tightening security in other ways, too.
01:41Civilian government employees must also declare and give up Chinese IDs. And within the military, rules are getting stricter.
01:48Anyone who signs documents or makes videos pledging allegiance to China could soon face up to seven years in prison.
01:54The goal is to remove the risks of infiltration and make sure those who make their living serving the country stay loyal to it.
02:01Kama Xu and John Van Triest for Taiwan Plus.