Taiwan's Central Election Commission has clarified eligibility rules for China-born residents seeking public office: a candidate must have completed ten years of Taiwan household registration counted from the day proof of renounced mainland citizenship was filed with authorities, the United Daily News and Liberty Times reported.

The homework left by the Li Zhen-xiu affair

The standard aims to prevent a repeat of the case of Li Zhen-xiu, a China-born spouse who assumed a legislative seat and then stepped down amid a nationality controversy. The Mainland Affairs Council issued its interpretation of the ten-year registration rule in April.

County and city election commissions will query household registration offices for whether and when candidates filed proof of renounced citizenship.

First test: the November local elections

The rule takes effect with the nine-in-one local elections on November 28. The commission also published a 37-item Q&A on candidate disqualifications.

The debate over balancing new immigrants' political rights against identity requirements is far from settled — and it resonates with communities living dual identities, including ethnic Chinese in Korea.