Mongolians in Taiwan
Encyclopedia
Mongols in Taiwan form a small portion of the island's population. Labour migration from Mongolia to Taiwan began in 2004.
—citizens of the Republic of China
, not of Mongolia
—who came with the Kuomintang
during their 1949 retreat from mainland China
after losing the Chinese Civil War
. One of the most prominent such people to flee with the KMT was the 7th Changkya Khutukhtu, Lobsang Pelden Tenpe Dronme
, who fled mainland China in 1949 and lived in Taipei
until 1957. Others were Wu Heling
and Serengdongrub
.
However, there was little contact between Mongolia and Taiwan until the 21st century. Authorities on Taiwan
began laying the groundwork for the importation of migrant labourers from Mongolia
as early as 2002, with the establishment of a Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office
in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar and implementation of a system for checking the criminal records of prospective migrants. The plan initially faced opposition; a former chairman of the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission
criticised it as "diplomatic pork barrel" and a covert attempt by the Democratic Progressive Party
to push their platform of desinicisation by expanding bilateral ties with Mongolia, which the Republic of China
government had previously considered to be Chinese territory and not an independent country.
Taiwan's Council of Labor Affairs
finally gave their approval for the recruitment of Mongolian workers in January 2004. The initial response in Mongolia was strong, with Mongolia's Central Employment Office reporting that over 20,000 people had expressed interest in a professional skills and Chinese-language
training course for workers headed to Taiwan. 7,000 people were eventually admitted to the programme; 90% of applicants were between 20 and 35 years of age, and 45% were female. One Mongolian official said that Taiwan offered better employment conditions for migrant workers than traditional destinations such as Japan
, South Korea
, or Eastern Europe
an countries, including higher wages (five times those offered in Mongolia) and the provision of health insurance
. The first workers recruited under the programme, a group of eleven female nurses between the ages of 25 and 40, arrived in mid-May 2004; the second batch was scheduled to arrive the following month. By September of that same year, a total of 77 Mongolians had come to Taiwan for work. However, the Mongolian workers had trouble adjusting to life in Taiwan; by January 2005, out of the 100 who had arrived so far, over 30 had chosen the option of early return to Mongolia. Difficulties cited included long working hours and objections from employers that female employees wore clothing considered too revealing when the weather was hot.
Aside from migrant workers, there were also a total of 100 Mongol students studying at universities in Taiwan; a total of 1,700 Mongols had gone to Taiwan for professional training, especially in the legal field.
History
There were a few ethnic Mongols from Inner MongoliaEthnic Mongols in China
Mongols in China are citizens of the People's Republic of China who are ethnic Mongols. They form one of the 55 ethnic minorities officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. There are approximately 5.8 million ethnic Mongols living in China. Most of them live in Inner Mongolia,...
—citizens of the Republic of China
Nationality Law of the Republic of China
The Nationality Law of the Republic of China defines and regulates nationality of the Republic of China . It was first promulgated by the Nationalist Government on February 5, 1929 and revised by the Taipei-based Legislative Yuan in 2000, 2001, and 2006.The Act, like the Constitution of the...
, not of Mongolia
Mongolian nationality law
The Mongolian nationality law is a nationality law determines who is a citizen of Mongolia.-Current law:Current citizenship law is guided by the 1992 Constitution of Mongolia and, more importantly, the Law of Mongolia on Citizenship.-Obtaining citizenship:...
—who came with the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
during their 1949 retreat from mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
after losing the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
. One of the most prominent such people to flee with the KMT was the 7th Changkya Khutukhtu, Lobsang Pelden Tenpe Dronme
Lobsang Pelden Tenpe Dronme
Lobsang Pelden Tenpe Dronme was a clergyman of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism and the 7th Changkya Khutukhtu. He was the highest person of Tibetan Buddhism in Inner Mongolia and the fourth highest lamas of Tibetan Buddhism in general...
, who fled mainland China in 1949 and lived in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
until 1957. Others were Wu Heling
Wu Heling
Wu Heling was a politician in the Republic of China. He was ethnic Mongol, and participated in the Mongolian Autonomous Movement. In the end, he became an important politician in the Mongolian United Autonomous Government and the Mongolian Autonomous Federation . His Mongolian name was Ünenbayan...
and Serengdongrub
Serengdongrub
Serengdongrub was an Inner Mongolian politician in the Republic of China. An ethnic Mongol, he was a native of Harqin Middle Banner .-Names:...
.
However, there was little contact between Mongolia and Taiwan until the 21st century. Authorities on Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
began laying the groundwork for the importation of migrant labourers from Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
as early as 2002, with the establishment of a Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office
Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office
A Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office , sometimes known as a Taipei Economic and Cultural Office or a Taipei Representative Office , is a representative office, established by the Republic of China in countries that have diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China...
in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar and implementation of a system for checking the criminal records of prospective migrants. The plan initially faced opposition; a former chairman of the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission
Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission
The Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission is one of two ministry-level commissions of the Executive Yuan in the Republic of China. Inaugural addresses are delivered by the Chairman of the Commission...
criticised it as "diplomatic pork barrel" and a covert attempt by the Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party is a political party in Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity,...
to push their platform of desinicisation by expanding bilateral ties with Mongolia, which the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
government had previously considered to be Chinese territory and not an independent country.
Taiwan's Council of Labor Affairs
Council of Labor Affairs
The Council of Labor Affairs , established in 1987, is a cabinet-level unit under the Executive Yuan.- List of ministers :* Cheng Shuei-chih * Chao Shou-po * Hsieh Shen-shan * Hsu Chieh-kuei * Chan Huo-shen...
finally gave their approval for the recruitment of Mongolian workers in January 2004. The initial response in Mongolia was strong, with Mongolia's Central Employment Office reporting that over 20,000 people had expressed interest in a professional skills and Chinese-language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
training course for workers headed to Taiwan. 7,000 people were eventually admitted to the programme; 90% of applicants were between 20 and 35 years of age, and 45% were female. One Mongolian official said that Taiwan offered better employment conditions for migrant workers than traditional destinations such as Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, or Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
an countries, including higher wages (five times those offered in Mongolia) and the provision of health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
. The first workers recruited under the programme, a group of eleven female nurses between the ages of 25 and 40, arrived in mid-May 2004; the second batch was scheduled to arrive the following month. By September of that same year, a total of 77 Mongolians had come to Taiwan for work. However, the Mongolian workers had trouble adjusting to life in Taiwan; by January 2005, out of the 100 who had arrived so far, over 30 had chosen the option of early return to Mongolia. Difficulties cited included long working hours and objections from employers that female employees wore clothing considered too revealing when the weather was hot.
Aside from migrant workers, there were also a total of 100 Mongol students studying at universities in Taiwan; a total of 1,700 Mongols had gone to Taiwan for professional training, especially in the legal field.
See also
- Koreans in TaiwanKoreans in TaiwanKoreans in Taiwan numbered 3,158 individuals , making them the 30th-largest population of overseas Koreans, according to South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.- History :...
- Vietnamese people in TaiwanVietnamese people in TaiwanVietnamese people in Taiwan form one of the island's larger communities of foreign residents. Of the roughly 80,000 Vietnamese workers who resided in Taiwan as of 2006, 60,000 are employed as domestic helpers, 16,000 work in factories, 2,000 in marine-based industries, and the remainder in other...
- Manchu people in TaiwanManchu people in TaiwanThe Manchu people in Taiwan constitute a small minority of the population of Taiwan. The Manchu people living in Taiwan arrived primarily in two waves of migration. The first wave was during the Qing Dynasty period. During this period, the Manchu-led government annexed Taiwan into the Qing Empire...
- Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs CommissionMongolian and Tibetan Affairs CommissionThe Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission is one of two ministry-level commissions of the Executive Yuan in the Republic of China. Inaugural addresses are delivered by the Chairman of the Commission...
- Republic of China – Mongolia relations