The Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday certified six people to fill vacant at-large legislative seats for the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), including Li Zhenxiu (李貞秀), a naturalized Taiwanese citizen who was born in China.

The TPP, a smaller opposition party in the Legislative Yuan, has a “two-year clause,” under which some of its at-large lawmakers are required to step down midterm to allow other candidates on the party list to take over.

Li was among six people certified by the CEC to take over the TPP’s at-large seats after Lin Kuo-chen (林國成), Lin Yi-chun (林憶君), Chang Chi-kai (張啓楷), Mai Yu-chen (麥玉珍), Huang Shan-shan (黃珊珊) and party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) resigned on Sunday.

Photo: Screen grab from Li Zhenxiu’s Facebook page

The terms of Li and the other five — Hung Yu-hsiang (洪毓祥), Tsai Chun-chou (蔡春綢), Wang An-hsiang (王安祥), Chiu Hui-ju (邱慧洳) and Chen Ching-lung (陳清龍) — are to run until the end of the 11th Legislative Yuan’s term on Jan. 31, 2028.

Li’s inclusion has drawn public attention and questions have been raised over whether she has renounced her People’s Republic of China (PRC) nationality, as required under the Nationality Act (國籍法).

For those who have dual nationality, the law requires them to waive the other nationality and submit proof of doing so within a year of taking office.

Although China’s Nationality Law allows people to apply for renunciation under certain conditions, such as acquiring another nationality, it remains unclear how the provisions would apply in cases such as Li’s, as the PRC does not recognize Taiwan as a foreign sovereign state.

As of press time, Li had not commented on the status of any related administrative procedures.

The CEC said that matters elected candidates must handle under the Nationality Act and other relevant laws fall outside its jurisdiction, and declined to comment further.

Lawmakers subject to the Nationality Act must complete required procedures within the legally specified time frame or face removal in accordance with the law, the Ministry of the Interior said.

The TPP would handle the matter in accordance with existing laws, Huang Kuo-chang said on Friday.

Legal interpretation should follow established institutional processes in Taiwan’s democratic system, he added.