The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday voiced its support for the thousands of students and faculty members from 24 colleges and universities in Hong Kong who are on strike for democracy.
“Democracy is a value that goes beyond borders. Repeatedly, the people of Hong Kong have showed their determination for democracy,” said the DPP’s China Affairs Department director Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟), who is also a lawmaker. “The Hong Kong government and Beijing must listen to the voices of the people, look into their demands seriously, and respond to them positively.”
Chao said that over the past few years, Hong Kongers have shown a strong desire for authentic democracy and direct suffrage for the special administrative region’s chief executive through demonstrations, rallies and marches that drew large numbers of participants, as well as the Occupy Central campaign.
Photo: Hung Mei-hsiu, Taipei Times
“However, Hong Kong and Beijing authorities did not respond to their demands. Rather, they crushed [Hong Kong] people’s dream for democracy with a white paper on the practice of the ‘one country, two systems’ policy, and the Hong Kong electoral reform program,” Chao said.
“Having traveled on the same road to democracy, the people of Taiwan understand how hard it is, and can feel how the people of Hong Kong feel — dreams of democracy may be repressed, but will not disappear,” he said. “We will continue to show our concern and support for the pursuit for democracy.”
Separately yesterday, in support of the Hong Kong students’ strike for democracy, the Student’s Association of National Tsing Hua University in Hsinchu City said it has undertaken a joint action with several universities natiownide, including National Central University (NCU), National Chung Cheng University, National Sun Yat-sen University and National Taiwan University, to launch an online petition and series of lectures named “Street Seminar on Democracy (街頭民主講堂),” among other activities.
“We will also compile a ‘lazybones pack’ on related information to help Taiwanese students understand the spirit and objectives of the student movement in Hong Kong,” said Hsu Guangcheng (徐光成), president of the Students’ Association at National Tsing Hua University.
“The ongoing boycott is a large-scale movement showing solidarity among several universities in Hong Kong, with an emphasis on Hong Kongers striving for true universal suffrage and democracy,” added Chan Wan-yi (陳蘊兒), vice president of the NCU Students’ Association and herself a student from Hong Kong. “We hope that actions that express our support from Taiwan can be heard by Hong Kong students across the Taiwan Strait, to let them know that they are not alone.”
“The Chinese government has abandoned their promise of ‘democratic governance in Hong Kong,’” Hsu said. “They have neglected the results of the referendum conducted by the people of Hong Kong and turned a blind eye toward calls for true universal suffrage for the chief executive election, refusing to allow the people of Hong Kong to attain the goal of autonomy.”
Hsu said his association has already invited faculty from the school’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, with classes for the Street Seminar on Democracy scheduled for next week.
The classes are to elaborate on the Hong Kong students’ campaign for democracy, while emphasizing the resolve to defend democracy and freedom in Taiwan, he said.
BAIL APPEALS: The former vice premier was ordered to be held incommunicado despite twice being granted bail and paying a total of NT$12 million in bond The Taoyuan District Court yesterday ordered the detention of former vice premier Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), who is being investigated for alleged corruption while serving as Taoyuan mayor from December 2014 to December 2022, and that he be held incommunicado. The court made the ruling during a bail hearing after prosecutors appealed its bail ruling twice. Cheng on Saturday was released after posting bail of NT$5 million (US$153,818). However, after prosecutors lodged an appeal, the High Court on Monday revoked the original ruling and ordered the Taoyuan District Court to hold another bail hearing. On Tuesday, the district court granted bail to Cheng a second
The Thai government on Friday announced that Taiwanese would be allowed to stay in the country for up to 60 days per entry, under the Southeast Asian country’s visa-free program starting from today. Taiwan is among 93 countries included in the Thai visa-waiver program, which has been expanded from 57 countries, with the visa-exempt entry extended from 30 to 60 days. After taking office last year, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has vowed to grant more visa waivers to foreign travelers as part of efforts to stimulate tourism. The expanded visa-waiver program was on Friday signed by Thai Minister of the Interior Anutin
PEACE AND SECURITY: China’s military ambitions present ‘the greatest strategic challenge to Japan and the world, Japan’s annual defense white paper said yesterday Japan yesterday warned that China risked escalating tensions with Taiwan with an increase in military exercises that appeared aimed in part at readying Beijing’s forces for a possible invasion. Japan’s annual assessment of security threats, including those posed by China, North Korea and Russia, comes as Taiwan closely monitors Chinese People’s Liberation Army air and sea exercises, including one with the Shandong aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean. The drills are the latest in a series including maneuvers in the Taiwan Strait last year that a senior US general said would be key to any invasion. “Because of that increase in military activity,
HAN KUANG: The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers said The armed forces would for the first time test new rules of engagement (ROE) at this month’s annual Han Kuang exercises, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said yesterday. The exercises, which are to run from July 22 to 26, will feature unscripted war games, and a decentralized command and control structure, military officers told a news conference in Taipei. ROE cards would be issued to select combat troops to test their ability to function without tight control, they said. The most recent edition of the rules was published last year, they said. One of the cards’ two templates identifies enemy targets that soldiers