The government and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday both spoke out against plans by the Chinese government to enact a national security law in Hong Kong.
Chinese officials yesterday confirmed that the National People’s Congress would review a bill “on establishing and improving the legal system and enforcement mechanisms for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to safeguard national security.”
The Presidential Office said that the announcement was evidence that the “one country, two systems” framework fundamentally clashes with democratic freedoms.
Photo: AFP
The de-escalation of tensions between Hong Kong and Beijing relies on the Chinese government’s willingness to respond to Hong Kongers’ demands, and to establish elections for Hong Kong Legislative Council members and the chief executive, Presidential Office spokesperson Alex Huang (黃重諺) said.
Executive Yuan spokesman Ting Yi-ming (丁怡銘) quoted Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) as saying that the bill would break the Chinese Communist Party’s promise that it would guarantee Hong Kong 50 years of autonomy, seriously compromising Hong Kongers’ democratic freedoms.
Beijing’s announcement would only stoke Hong Kongers’ discontent and increase social instability, the Mainland Affairs Council said, adding that the move might undermine Hong Kong’s status as an international financial center.
Beijing cannot comprehend that the source of dissent and unrest in Hong Kong is not so-called “foreign influence” and the pro-democracy movement, which is why it is emphasizing a legislative solution to such perceived threats, it said.
The government should be the people’s protector, not their jailer, it added, calling on Beijing not to sow further chaos in Hong Kong.
The Democratic Progressive Party said that if the legislation passes, it would change Hong Kong’s fate forever.
“It is more than trampling on Hong Kong’s democratic form of government. It is telling the world that the ‘one country, two systems’ concept is dead,” the party said.
Beijing’s announcement, if carried through, would not win the hearts and minds of Hong Kongers, nor would it win Beijing any sympathy in the international community, it added.
The KMT said that Beijing should be careful, as the proposed legislation would hit a raw nerve with Hong Kongers.
Hong Kong’s autonomy, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly should be respected and upheld, it said, calling on Beijing to allow elections for Legislative Council members and the chief executive.
The Republic of China is an independent, sovereign nation and rejects the “one country, two systems” framework, the KMT added.
“Beijing’s handling of the Hong Kong situation concerns not only the fortune of Hong Kongers, but could also affect the development of the Chinese mainland area, as well as the direction of cross-strait relations,” the KMT said, calling on Beijing to constructively address Hong Kongers’ concerns and meet their expectations.
Additional reporting by Sean Lin
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
COVETED PRIZE: The US president would be a peace prize laureate should he persuade Xi Jinping to abandon military aggression against Taiwan, William Lai said US President Donald Trump should get the Nobel Peace Prize should he be able to convince Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to abandon the use of force against Taiwan, President William Lai (賴清德) told a conservative US radio show and podcast in an interview. The US is Taiwan’s most important international backer, despite the absence of formal ties, but since Trump took office earlier this year he has not announced any new arms sales to the nation. Trump could meet Xi at the APEC summit in South Korea on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Lai, speaking on The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
RSS