Taiwan asked to reduce wait for spouses' ID cards

The Chinese mainland has called on Taiwan authorities to adjust the regulation directed against Taiwan people's spouses from the Chinese mainland, said a senior official from the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

About 400,000 people in Taiwan have spouses from the mainland, but more than half of the spouses are still without Taiwan identity cards, bringing huge inconveniences to their lives. The spouses have demanded Taiwan authorities reduce the current waiting period from six years to four years, but the demand was overlooked.

"Some people from Taiwan, for political purposes, are preventing approval of the policies," Fan Liqing, spokeswoman of the Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday.

"Taiwan authorities have proposed the modification for more than a year, but the regulation has not changed yet," Fan said.

She said that Chinese mainland spouses are family members of Taiwan people and they should be treated fairly and justly.

"We have mentioned many times that cross-Strait marriage needs the care and understanding from all walks of Taiwan society and do hope Taiwan authorities can adjust the regulation as soon as possible," she added.