Focus Taiwan
Date: 017/04/22
By: Hsieh Chia-chen and Y.F. Low

Taipei, April 22 (CNA) The majority of people who became naturalized citizens of the

(CNA file photo)

Republic of China (Taiwan) in 2016 were spouses of ROC citizens, with nearly 70 percent coming from Vietnam, according to government statistics released Saturday.

Last year, 3,252 people were naturalized as ROC citizens, a decrease of 360, or 10 percent, from 2015, the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) said.

The drop reflected the decline beginning in 2005 in the number of international marriages, the ministry said. It is believed that as the economies of Southeast Asia and mainland China continue to grow, fewer women from those countries choose to leave their home country to marry abroad, including to Taiwanese men.    [FULL  STORY]