Undeterred by heavy rain, hundreds of thousands of protesters yesterday marched in Taipei and other cities in Taiwan in support of the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
Organizers said that the Hong Kong government should respond positively to the five demands made by the Hong Kong protesters, which they said are reasonable under the framework of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) has only agreed to withdraw the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation Amendment, which ignited the months-long protests.
Photo: Tu Chu-min, Taipei Times
However, she has declined to form an independent committee to investigate alleged abuse of power by police; roll back the categorization of the protests after June 12 as a riot; release all student protesters and dismiss their charges; or allow universal suffrage.
Organizers said they opposed a peace treaty compiled under the “one China” framework.
The Hong Kong government should not restrict students studying in Taiwan and release the student protesters, they said.
Photo: Tu Chu-min, Taipei Times
The Taiwanese government should pass legislation to protect asylum seekers from Hong Kong and Macau, they added.
A fruit vendor surnamed Chou (周) and his wife brought 10,000 dragon fruits from his farm in Changhua County’s Erlin (二林) and handed them out to protesters in Taipei for free.
“This is such a meaningful event. Supporting Hong Kong is supporting Taiwan,” Chou’s wife said.
Photo: CNA
A protester surnamed Chu (朱) said that he started paying attention to the issues in Hong Kong during the 2014 “Umbrella movement,” adding that people should not harbor any dreams of “one country, two systems.”
They should look at how the Chinese Communist Party treats minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang, Chu said.
“I came here to march for freedom, which is a universal value,” he said, adding that what happened in Hong Kong made him rethink Taiwan’s relations with China.
Photo: Tsai Wen-chu, Taipei Times
Among the participants were Taiwan New Constitution Foundation founder Koo Kwang-ming (辜寬敏), former premier Yu Shyi-kun (游錫堃) and Democratic Progressive Party Chairman Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰).
Similar rallies were also held in Hsinchu, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung.
While the march in Taipei proceeded peacefully in general, two Chinese Unification Promotion Party members, allegedly disguised as protesters, splashed red paint on Hong Kong singer and democracy advocate Denise Ho’s (何韻詩) head while she was being interviewed by Taiwanese media.
Photo: AFP / Sam Yeh
Appearing unperturbed by the incident, Ho said this showed how low pro-Beijing people can go when it comes to such issues, adding that this is the type of threat facing social advocates in Hong Kong every day.
People in Hong Kong would not be threatened, nor would they bow to oppression from China because of this incident, she said, adding that she would sue the perpetrators.
Minister of the Interior Hsu Kuo-yung (徐國勇) said police have arrested two suspects on charges of engaging in organized crime, offenses against freedom and insulting a person in public.
President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said the matter would be taken seriously, adding that people can have different opinions about a certain issue in a democratic society, but the nation would not allow such behavior to challenge its democracy.
CIVIL DEFENSE: More reservists in alternative service would help establish a sound civil defense system for use in wartime and during natural disasters, Kuma Academy’s CEO said While a total of 120,000 reservists are expected to be called up for alternative reserve drills this year, compared with the 6,505 drilled last year, the number has been revised to 58,000 due to a postponed training date, Deputy Minster of the Interior Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said. In principle, the ministry still aims to call up 120,000 reservists for alternative reserve drills next year, he said, but the actual number would not be decided later until after this year’s evaluation. The increase follows a Legislative Yuan request that the Ministry of the Interior address low recruitment rates, which it made while reviewing
DETERRENCE: Along with US$500 million in military aid and up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees, the bill would allocate US$400 million to countering PRC influence The US House of Representatives on Friday approved an appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025 that includes US$500 million in military aid for Taiwan. The legislation, which authorizes funding for the US Department of State, US foreign operations and related programs for next year, passed 212-200 in the Republican-led House. The bill stipulates that the US would provide no less than US$500 million in foreign military financing for Taiwan to enhance deterrence across the Taiwan Strait, and offer Taipei up to US$2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for the same purpose. The funding would be made available under the US’ Foreign Military
WARNING: China has stepped up harassment of foreign vessels after its new regulation took effect last month, an official said, citing an incident in the Diaoyutai Islands The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday linked China’s seizure of a Taiwanese fishing vessel illegally operating in its territorial waters to Beijing’s new regulation authorizing the China Coast Guard to seize boats in waters it claims. Chinese officials boarded and then seized a Taiwanese fishing vessel operating near China’s coast close to Kinmen County late on Tuesday and took it to a Chinese port, the CGA said. The Penghu-registered squid fishing vessel Da Jin Man No. 88 (大進滿88) was boarded and seized by China Coast Guard east-northeast of Liaoluo Bay (料羅灣), 17.5 nautical miles (32.4km) from Taiwan’s restricted waters off Kinmen,
As eight basketball-playing international students appealed to the Taiwanese basketball industry after they were excluded from the draft of an upcoming new league merging the P.League+ and the T1 League, the new league’s preparatory committee spokesperson Chang Shu-jen (張樹人) yesterday said the committee would tomorrow discuss the supplementary measures and whether the international students can join the draft. The students on Tuesday called for support on their right to play in the upcoming new league, after a merger involving the two leagues impacted their eligibility for the draft. The international players from the University Basketball Association (UBA), led by first pick prospect