Chinese nationals wave their national flags as they arrive in northeastern Turkey after passing through the Razi-Kapikoy border crossing with Iran in Van, on March 2, 2026. Photo: VCG

Tensions following military actions launched by US and Israel against Iran have prompted the Chinese embassies in Israel and Iran to open evacuation registration to Chinese nationals including compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao special administrative regions, and the island of Taiwan. The move has drawn attention from media and triggered discussion among netizens on the island.

The Chinese Embassy in Israel released a notice saying that Chinese nationals in Israel, including compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao, and the island of Taiwan, who are unable to make their own arrangements but are willing to travel to Egypt, may register for evacuation, provided they hold a valid Chinese passport or relevant documents such as a Taiwan Compatriot Permit or Hong Kong and Macao SAR passports. 

Chinese Embassy in Iran on Monday also issued a notice saying that Chinese citizens (including residents from Hong Kong, Macao and island of Taiwan) planning to evacuate via the Iran-Turkmenistan Sarakhs border could contact the embassy in advance and submit color copies of valid Chinese travel documents, including Taiwan Compatriot Permit, along with confirmed departure air tickets. Entry and transit visa applications can be processed at the border after approval by Turkmen authorities.

According to Taiwan News' report, "there are currently about 264 residents from the island of Taiwan in Israel and four in Iran." 

A Monday commentary titled "Taiwan Compatriot Permit evacuation reflects the one-China principle and the concept of cross-Straits family ties" released on Jornal San Wa Ou of Macao noted that the DPP authorities have limited room for consular-assisted evacuation in Iran, as the Iranian government adheres to the one-China principle and does not allow Taiwan to set up official "diplomatic" institutions there. 

Under wartime conditions, the article said, Taiwan residents in Iran have little option but to respond to notices issued by the Chinese Embassy in Iran and register for assistance.

The commentary also cited previous evacuation operations including the 2015 Yemen conflict when Chinese naval escort fleets evacuated 897 Chinese citizens and also transported five Taiwan compatriots safely to Djibouti, with the Taiwan Compatriot Permit serving as key identification for boarding. 

It stressed that in past evacuation operations, the Taiwan Compatriot Permit has functioned as more than a travel document, but as an important credential linking Taiwan compatriots to evacuation mechanisms and symbolizing the mainland's commitment to safeguarding their safety. 

However, what observers described as a routine humanitarian measure during heightened regional tensions has been politicized on the island of Taiwan. As the mainland tries to evacuate Taiwan compatriots, the DPP authorities and pro-DPP media were still peddling "Taiwan independence" rhetoric in a critical moment. 

According to pro-DPP newspaper Liberty Times, the DPP authorities stated on Sunday that there are more than 3,000 Taiwan residents across the Middle East and that they had "not yet received requests for evacuation." The report further warned of the "risks of seeking assistance from China under the current complex situation in the Middle East."

The pro-DPP outlet also cited an unnamed DPP official as claiming that Taiwan residents who participate in mainland evacuation operations — "treating themselves as Chinese" — would be placing themselves "at high risk." The officials further suggested that Taiwan residents should be "smart enough to protect themselves" by avoiding evacuation channels organized by the mainland. 

As the claims made by the unnamed DPP official that "Taiwan residents should be 'smart enough to protect themselves'" triggered shocks on the island, a spokesperson from the Taiwan region's so-called "foreign affairs" department, Hsiao Kuang-wei, made claims that seeking assistance from the mainland "may involve risks" and argued that "consular protection should not be used as a tool for political manipulation," per Mirror Media.

According to Taiwan's Mirror Daily, the DPP authorities said there is no evacuation plan at this stage, citing reasons that the Iranian attack were mainly focused on US military bases, rather than widespread attacks on civilians or civilian facilities.

The DPP authorities' remarks have also drawn criticism from media outlets on the island. A commentary published Monday by Taiwan's China Times argued that the DPP authorities are "incapable of organizing evacuations yet unwilling to lose face." The article noted that more than 200 Taiwan travelers currently stranded in Qatar remain anxious and are hoping to leave the region and return to the island as soon as possible. 

The commentary pointed out that Israel continues to face missile and drone attacks, with the security situation further deteriorating. As various countries move to evacuate their nationals, the DPP authorities have cited the lack of evacuation requests as justification for inaction, effectively asking overseas Taiwan residents to "fend for themselves."

Over the past decade, the DPP authorities have not organized any substantive evacuation operations, the article said. "The mainland, based on the spirit that people on both sides of the Straits are one family, is willing to extend a helping hand and provide assistance. Why should the DPP authorities refuse out of concern for face?" the commentary concluded.

"The DPP authorities' remarks of 'political manipulation' are simply groundless. The 'risk' they mentioned reflects their fear that Taiwan compatriots might come to realize that the mainland is in fact the more reliable force in times of crisis," Zheng Jian, a professor at the Taiwan Research Institute of Xiamen University told the Global Times on Monday.

Other netizens also criticized DPP authorities' nonfeasance. One netizen wrote on X that DPP authorities were placing political positions above people's safety. "Unable to organize evacuation and also unwilling to cooperate with the mainland's evacuation arrangements — it's ridiculous."

On the Taiwan-based PTT forum, a netizen @orz151426 wrote, "Evacuation has never been about planning, but about capability." Others asked, "If not the Chinese embassy, who should people turn to?" and "Are human lives being taken lightly?"

According to information obtained by the Global Times from the Azerbaijani Overseas Chinese Association, the second group of 58 Chinese nationals, including two Hong Kong compatriots, arrived safely in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan from Iran in the early morning of Monday. About 100 more Chinese citizens are expected to evacuate to Azerbaijan from Iran. The association has deployed six buses to assist in transporting compatriots.