Source: Taiperi Times [Taiwan]

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2003/03/07/197069

Cross-cultural marriage problems on the rise in Taitung, police officer says

CNA , TAITUNG
Friday, Mar 07, 2003,Page 4

Problems concerning cross-cultural marriages continue to rise in Taiwan as the number of Taiwanese men marrying non-Chinese increases, a police officer in Taitung City said yesterday.

In Taitung City alone, there are more than 500 cross-cultural couples. Of the total, about one-tenth have filed for restraining orders related to domestic violence, said Chen Yun-ping (陳允萍), an officer with the Taitung Police Department.

Chen said, as cross-cultural marriage can be problematic for Taiwanese, it is crucial that the government establish an immigration administration to tackle problems, including domestic violence, absconding and adaptation problems.

Chen, who has been handling cross-cultural marriage cases in Taitung for more than 10 years, said so far there is no government agency that takes full responsibility for handling problems regarding foreign brides, although there have been various public or private organizations engaging in "polyphased" work on this concern.

The officer said families of cross-cultural marriages are problem-prone, mainly because most of the men who marry foreign brides are people with a low education background, and some are physically or mentally challenged.