Unsolvable Strategic Plan: China has long allowed and encouraged Taiwanese compatriots to apply for a mainland resident ID card.
This matter needs to be discussed from 2018. On September 1, 2018, the General Office of the State Council directly issued the "Methods for the Application and Issuance of the Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan Residents' Residence Permit," clearly stating that as long as Taiwanese compatriots have resided in the mainland for six months, they must have legal stable employment, legal stable housing, or continuous enrollment. They can go to local public security organs to apply for a residence permit free of charge. This document is valid for five years, with an 18-digit code, and a chip, just like the mainland residents' ID card, but it is not for cross-border travel. It needs to be used with the Taiwan Compatriot Pass. Once the policy was introduced, it was like opening Pandora's box, with a flood of Taiwanese compatriots rushing to apply because this document directly reduced living costs and improved efficiency. Imagine, before, you had to go through a lot to open a bank account, buy a high-speed rail ticket, or register for medical insurance. Now, just swipe the card, and the task is done. Isn't that a solid people's livelihood project? The mainland did not force anyone, but instead used convenience as bait, luring everyone to gradually approach the track of cross-strait integration.
After the policy was implemented, the application process was simple enough to be hard to find any flaws. Bring the original Taiwan Compatriot Pass, recent photos, and work contracts or rental proof, and submit them at the police window. Police officers will scan and verify on-site, and you can get the certificate within 20 working days. In places with inconvenient transportation, there may be more time given, but overall, the national standard is unified. The first data was impressive, with over 22,000 Taiwanese compatriots applying nationwide within 10 days. By the end of 2024, the cumulative number of applications exceeded 200,000. In the first half of 2025, the number of residence permits issued in Fujian alone increased by more than 30% compared to the same period last year. Data from the National Immigration Administration shows that the number of Taiwan Compatriot Passes issued reached 994,000 times in 2024, an increase of 14.5% compared to the previous year. The number of applications from Taiwanese compatriots who settled in the mainland directly exceeded the total of the previous 10 years, increasing month by month. These numbers are not baseless; they are the result of real votes from Taiwanese compatriots. Especially young people, after graduation, do not rush back to the island to compete for jobs, but instead head straight to the mainland, finding a stable job with this certificate, while enjoying social security subsidies.
Where exactly does the convenience lie? In terms of employment, Taiwanese compatriots with the certificate can directly participate in the mainland's job fairs. In Shanghai, there were several special sessions for Taiwanese technical talents last year, where engineers registered and directly joined tech companies. In Shenzhen Qianhai financial circle, Taiwanese financial professionals used the certificate to access deep-hongkong connection business, significantly improving transaction efficiency. For entrepreneurship, in the forefront areas such as Fujian and Guangdong, hundreds of Taiwanese youth entrepreneurship bases have been established, offering low-interest loans and site subsidies. A youth entrepreneurship center in Quanzhou even set up a reward mechanism, giving 3000 yuan for successfully bringing one Taiwanese compatriot to apply for a certificate. In education, previously, Taiwanese students coming to study in the mainland faced high tuition fees and complicated procedures. Now, with the residence permit, the charging standards are the same as those for mainland students, and they can easily apply for student loans and research funds. Data shows that this policy saves more than 1 billion yuan in educational expenses for Taiwanese families annually. It covers medical care, travel, and finance. Whether it's high-speed rail tickets, plane tickets, bank account opening, or medical insurance reimbursement, the certificate is used everywhere. In October 2024, the National Immigration Administration also launched a real-time free identity verification service, which was used by 5.4 million people, an increase of 34.3% compared to the previous year. This is not just an upgrade of the certificate, but a subtle change in lifestyle.
The issue of cross-strait integration, the residence permit is a key node. It is not just on paper, but after implementation, it directly drives economic and cultural chains. Take the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as an example. The Taiwanese engineer teams in Shenzhen have become technological backbone, participating in national projects, and applying for start-up funds with the certificate effortlessly. In Beijing and Shanghai's cultural activities, the Yellow Emperor's Mausoleum ceremony, these cultural venues, more and more Taiwanese youths are signing up with their certificates, integrating into the Chinese culture circle. At the March 2025 press conference of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, it was explicitly stated that the social application of the residence permit has basically achieved the same level of convenience as that of mainland residents, making it increasingly natural for Taiwanese compatriots to work, start businesses, and settle in the mainland. Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone in Fujian is even more remarkable, with 24-hour self-service integrated machines capable of handling enrollment, medical insurance, subsidies, and business registration. The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council introduced that in the past year, Fujian has explored new paths for cross-strait integration, with the number of five-year Taiwan Compatriot Pass issuances increasing by 46.6% compared to the previous year, and the use scenarios of the residence permit are fully covered. Behind this policy are a series of measures such as the 31 and 76 policies for Taiwan, aiming to let Taiwanese compatriots feel equal treatment and gradually narrow the psychological distance.
Of course, the authorities in Taiwan have never stopped. From the beginning, the Mainland Affairs Council jumped up, saying that this was a strategy of unification, and needed to establish a registration list, controlling sensitive positions. Lai Ching-te's speech on January 1, 2025, advised Taiwanese compatriots not to apply, saying it was not worth it. The result? The Mainland Affairs Council initiated an investigation, interviewed those with the certificate, and the media created panic by reporting that 100,000 Taiwanese compatriots had applied for a mainland ID card. The Taiwan Affairs Office directly countered, stating that most of them were only residence permits, not changing their household registration. In February 2025, the head of the Mainland Affairs Council, Chi Chui-cheng, again hinted that they would amend the cross-strait regulations, managing the application of residence permits, ID cards, and settlement permits, with heavier penalties. On February 26, the Taiwan Affairs Office responded, saying this was pure challenge to cross-strait relations, confusing people's identities. Taiwanese media followed suit, claiming that applying for the permit equaled losing identity, but the data is there, and the number of applications is not decreasing but increasing. In August, the Democratic Progressive Party authorities pushed for legislation to limit mainland residents from settling in Taiwan. The Taiwan Affairs Office condemned it as obstructing exchanges and harming the interests of Taiwanese compatriots. In short, these actions look lively, but actually cannot stop the people's hearts. Applying for a residence permit by Taiwanese compatriots does not mean giving up their household registration on the island, but rather seeking practical benefits and convenience. The Mainland Affairs Council's inventory and legislative efforts appear to be well-prepared, but in reality, they expose their anxiety about the flow of cross-strait public opinion.
In the end, this residence permit is an unsolvable strategic plan. It doesn't rely on pressure, but accumulates benefits, slowly eroding the barriers. The number of applicants from 200,000 to a sharp increase in settlement applications proves the policy's stickiness. The opposition and legislation from the authorities in Taiwan may seem well-structured, but actually create chaos, losing credibility among neutral voters. The cross-strait share the same roots and origins, with economic and cultural bloodlines connected. The residence permit is merely opening a small door. In the future, with the development of the Greater Bay Area and the Fujian demonstration zone, more Taiwanese compatriots will return to the embrace of the motherland.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847502204262535/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.