The Supreme Prosecutors Office of the Republic of China (Taiwan) announced that through collaboration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and law enforcement agencies, 200 convicted fugitives have had their passports revoked this year. By utilizing the “Passport Information Inquiry System” in coordination with the Consular Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, authorities can accurately track the status of fugitives’ passports, preventing them from freely escaping overseas and ensuring the enforcement of penalties to uphold judicial credibility.
This collaborative effort between the Supreme Prosecutors Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Justice has successfully integrated the “Passport Information Inquiry System”. Prosecutors are able to precisely monitor the whereabouts of individuals with major criminal convictions, swiftly taking legal actions to prevent individuals like Zhuying Rong, the CEO of Guobao Group, from using valid Republic of China passports to flee abroad and reinforcing the results of investigations and trials.
Frontline officers of the Criminal Police Bureau have noted that wanted fugitives from Taiwan can still hold valid Republic of China passports to reside overseas, freely travel to other countries, and continue engaging in criminal activities such as fraud, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses, posing threats to the property and public security of both Taiwan and other nations. Responding to these challenges, the Supreme Prosecutors Office promptly convened relevant agencies to devise comprehensive strategies. The proactive approach includes thorough investigations into fugitives’ passports, with the Consular Affairs Bureau recommending the integration of data on the issuance and revocation of passports with the Ministry of Justice to simplify administrative procedures and expedite the checking of fugitives’ passport statuses.
The Consular Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with prosecutorial and police agencies, has been working collaboratively to conduct thorough checks on the passports of wanted fugitives. So far this year, 200 fugitives who were sentenced to heavy penalties by the courts have been identified, and their passports have been legally nullified and revoked. This ongoing effort is crucial for effectively maintaining social order and credibility.
Zhuying Rong, the CEO of Guobao Group, is involved in multiple stock manipulation and insider trading offenses. During the trial proceedings, he absconded to another country, posting bail in the amount of NT$5.17 billion (approximately $16.86 million USD), seriously undermining judicial credibility. The Supreme Prosecutors Office, on February 7, requested the Taipei District Prosecutors Office to exercise its authority in considering the case, and on the same day, the Taipei District Prosecutors Office notified the Consular Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to revoke and nullify Zhuying Rong’s passport.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was mentioned that based on the Passport Act and requests from judicial authorities, passports of relevant individuals are revoked. In line with the need for extradition, the Supreme Prosecutors Office held a meeting in February to enhance the process of revoking passports for individuals who have fled abroad following confirmed convictions. It was decided that if fugitives met certain criteria, prosecutors could request the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to nullify and revoke their passports.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China is continuously improving its collaboration efforts to assist domestic judicial and law enforcement agencies in tracking major fugitives abroad. To prevent fugitives from escaping or staying overseas indefinitely, the Ministry actively organized meetings with the Supreme Prosecutors Office and the Ministry of Justice, leading to the joint establishment of the “Passport Information Inquiry System”. This system enables real-time online querying of the passport statuses of convicted wanted individuals, providing valuable information for prosecutors in handling cases. Moving forward, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to actively cooperate in the process of revoking fugitives’ passports to assist law enforcement agencies in combating crime effectively.