The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday proposed changing the law to provide protection for those seeking political asylum.
China at the opening of the National People’s Congress in Beijing on Thursday introduced a draft security law for Hong Kong to ban treason, subversion and sedition, with a review expected next week.
TPP caucus whip Jang Chyi-lu (張其祿) said that the party is concerned about democracy advocates in Hong Kong and has taken action to support them.
Photo: EPA-EFE
The party has proposed an amendment to Article 18 of the Act Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau (香港澳門關係條例), which stipulates that the government can offer help to residents of Hong Kong and Macau whose security and freedom are endangered due to political factors, Jang said.
However, the article does not clarify what “emergency” and “help” mean, nor is it clear whether people would be granted the right to stay in Taiwan, he said, adding that the Executive Yuan has not formulated supplementary regulations to protect the rights of asylum seekers or review their applications.
The TPP proposal says that people can apply for asylum if they leave Hong Kong or Macau due to war or for reasons related to race, religion, sexual orientation or political opinion, and cannot seek protection in Hong Kong or Macau, or do not want to return there for fear of persecution.
After receiving an application, authorities would convene a review meeting with experts, academics and unbiased members of the public, the TPP draft says.
At least one-third of the committee members should be members of a civic group who have experience promoting human rights, it says.
Jang urged the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee to schedule a meeting to review the draft soon, as this legislative session is to end this month.
If it is reviewed this session, there is a chance that the bill might be passed in a provisional legislative session scheduled to start next month, he said.
Jang called on the Democratic Progressive Party caucus or the Executive Yuan to propose amendments to show that Taiwan wants to help those who are targets of political persecution in Hong Kong and Macau.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Chen Yu-jen (陳玉珍), convener of the legislative committee, said that she had not received the TPP’s proposal.
If the TPP caucus shows why its proposal is important, she does not rule out changing the committee’s agenda next week and scheduling a review, Chen said.
Separately yesterday, New Power Party (NPP) Chairman Hsu Yung-ming (徐永明) said that Beijing’s proposed security law means it has renounced its promise to maintain “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong.
Taiwan cannot be indifferent to the matter, as it is a warning to Taiwan from Beijing, Hsu said.
The Legislative Yuan should review a refugee bill to complete the nation’s support for Hong Kong democracy advocates and prepare a response for refugee issues, he said.
The DPP administration should clarify its strategy and President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) should condemn Beijing’s treatment of Hong Kong, he said.
Hong Kong advocacy groups have repeatedly called on Taiwan to implement a refugee law to allow Hong Kongers to seek asylum here.
On Dec. 5 last year, Tsai said that it was unnecessary to enact a refugee law, as the Act Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau is adequate.
Additional reporting by Su Chin-feng
ANNOUNCEMENT: People who do not comply with the ban after a spoken warning would be reported to the police, the airport company said on Friday Taoyuan International Airport Corp on Friday announced that riding on vehicles, including scooter-suitcases (also known as “scootcases”), bicycles, scooters and skateboards, is prohibited in the airport’s terminals. Those using such vehicles should manually pull them or place them on luggage trolleys, the company said in a Facebook post. The ban intends to maintain order and protect travelers’ safety, as the airport often sees large crowds of people, it said, adding that it has stepped up publicity for the regulation, and those who do not comply after a spoken warning would be reported to the police. The company yesterday said that
NEW YEAR’S ADDRESS: ‘No matter what threats and challenges Taiwan faces, democracy is the only path,’ William Lai said, urging progress ‘without looking back’ President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday urged parties across the political divide to democratically resolve conflicts that have plagued domestic politics within Taiwan’s constitutional system. In his first New Year’s Day address since becoming president on May 20 last year, Lai touched on several issues, including economic and security challenges, but a key emphasis was on the partisan wrangling that has characterized his first seven months in office. Taiwan has transformed from authoritarianism into today’s democracy and that democracy is the future, Lai said. “No matter what threats and challenges Taiwan faces, democracy is the only path for Taiwan,” he said. “The only choice
CORRUPTION: Twelve other people were convicted on charges related to giving illegal benefits, forgery and money laundering, with sentences ranging from one to five years The Yilan District Court yesterday found Yilan County Commissioner Lin Zi-miao (林姿妙) guilty of corruption, sentencing her to 12 years and six months in prison. The Yilan District Prosecutors’ Office in 2022 indicted 10 government officials and five private individuals, including Lin, her daughter and a landowner. Lin was accused of giving illegal favors estimated to be worth NT$2.4 million (US$73,213) in exchange for using a property to conduct activities linked to the 2020 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential and legislative election campaigns. Those favors included exempting some property and construction firms from land taxes and building code contraventions that would have required
TECH CORRIDOR: Technology centers and science parks in the south would be linked, bolstering the AI, semiconductor, biotech, drone, space and smart agriculture industries The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a “Southern Silicon Valley” project to promote the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor industry in Chiayi County, Tainan, Pingtung County and Kaohsiung. The plan would build an integrated “S-shaped semiconductor industry corridor” that links technology centers and science parks in the south, Executive Yuan spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said yesterday after a Cabinet meeting. The project would bolster the AI, semiconductor, biotech, drone, space and smart agriculture industries, she said. The proposed tech corridor would be supported by government efforts to furnish computing power, workforce, supply chains and policy measures that encourage application and integration
RSS