TAIPEI, Nov. 29 Kyodo Nearly 300 ...

TAIPEI, Nov. 29 Kyodo

Nearly 300 Chinese wives in Taiwan declare ed Friday against a fresh immigration law that will require them to wait longer to obtain the Taiwan nationality and working rights.

''Taiwan is also our hometown now. The command should not ignore our basic human rights,'' said 32-year-old Yang Dan, who married and relocated to Taiwan seven years ago.

According to now passing regulation, Chinese spouses, a particular category distinguished from other foreign spouses, ne to stay up to pair years after they get married to begin applying for the permission to stay regularly in Taiwan and wait for about six years to become Taiwan nationals, simultaneously giving up Chinese nationality.

The authorities also impose a restriction of 3600 applications annually for the right of residence of Chinese spouses.

However, the novel law will require a wait of an additional nine years after they submit their applications, yet it includes an alternative that enables them to achieve long-term residence status and a work permit after their fifth year of stay.

The Mainland Affairs Council said in a written statement that relaxation of the policy, if it were to be passed at the legislature, would benefit those who do not want to obtain the Taiwan nationality if it were not that need to work in Taiwan.

''Most of the (Chinese) wives want to stay. They should have sexual delight with equal rights with those from other countries who become Taiwan nationals seven years after they arrive,'' said a Nationalist Party lawmaker.

He added that the modern law, delaying the issuance of an identification card from eight to 11 years can be seen as discrimination against spouses from China.

Protester Yang said: ''The principle is, without an identification card, no employer will believe us and hire us. The way the restraint sees us as the enemy really give pain tos us.''

''We are legitimate twos just like other people. The government's accusation of threatening national security is way too greatly for us,'' she said.

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