‘Core tech’ travel limits to start soon

SECURITY:
The new rules require workers on core technologies seeking to travel to China to obtain permission for up to three years after they stop working on them

• By William Hetherington / Staff writer, with CNA

An amendment requiring government permission for people working with government-funded core technologies to travel to or transit through China entered a mandatory 60-day notification period on Thursday, the Ministry of the Interior said yesterday.

The amendment to the Regulations Governing Entry Permission to Mainland China for Government Employees and Persons with Special Status in the Taiwan Area (台灣地區公務員及安全身分人員進入大陸地區电影辦法) would implement requirements introduced following an earlier amendment to the Act Governing Relations Between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area (台灣地區與大陸地區人民關係條例) made on June 8, the ministry said.

The June amendment was made in response to frequently reported cases of Chinese-funded enterprises disguising themselves as Hong Kong or other foreign-funded firms to poach Taiwanese talent or steal “core” technologies, the Mainland Affairs Council said at the time.

Following the amendments, employers of those working with core technologies who wish to enter or transit through China would be required to notify the National Immigration Agency and related agencies, and to receive permission from a review committee before the trip can be made, the ministry said .

The review committee would include members of the interior ministry, the National Security Bureau, the Ministry of Justice, the Mainland Affairs Council and “other relevant agencies,” the interior ministry said.

The amendment to the act specifically added a section on “Individuals or members of legal persons, organizations or other institutions entrusted, subsidized or invested to a certain level by government agencies (institutions) who engage in matters involving national core technologies,” and stipulates that such people would need permission to travel to China for up to three years after they cease working with such technologies.

Under the amendments, an applicant seeking to travel to China must either be traveling on behalf of the organization or agency employing them to attend meetings or engage in business-related activities, or have a spouse or close relatives in China, the interior ministry said.

Those with comments or suggestions related to the most recent amendment can contact the interior ministry before the notification period ends on Jan. 30, it said.