“Taiwan will not sit by and watch democracy, freedom and human rights be degraded in Hong Kong,” and the Cabinet has plans to offer humanitarian assistance to Hong Kongers, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday after China’s National People’s Congress passed national security legislation for the territory.
All Taiwanese — regardless of their political affiliation and whether they are in the government or private sector — have united to back Hong Kongers as well as the universal value of democracy, Tsai wrote on Facebook in Chinese.
“Taiwan has the responsibility to work with partners of the global democracy alliance to support Hong Kong and its people,” she wrote.
Photo: CNA
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) issued a statement condemning the passage of the “malignant” legislation, saying that the move represented a blatant disregard for the will of Hong Kongers and has seriously damaged the freedom, democracy and rule of law of the territory.
Earlier yesterday, MAC Minister Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) outlined government guidelines to help Hong Kongers.
A government-led, budgeted action plan is to feature interdepartmental efforts streamlined by the council and private-public collaborations, and coordinated by a state-sponsored legal person, Chen told reporters at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
With applications by Hong Kong residents seeking to immigrate to Taiwan rising, Tsai and Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) have said that the plan would mainly address settlement and well-being, Chen said.
At a question-and-answer session with lawmakers, Chen was asked by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Mei-hui (王美惠) whether Article 60 of the Act Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau (香港澳門關係條例) would be invoked, which would suspend the entire act.
When and to what extent the article would be invoked depends on the implications of the legislation that Beijing has imposed on the territory, Chen said.
If the Hong Kong government has been compromised to the extent that it simply carries out Beijing’s wishes, that would be a threat to Taiwan’s national security and Taipei would no longer recognize it as a standalone “territory,” he said.
Article 18, which stipulates that the government can assist Hong Kongers whose freedoms and safety have been threatened for political reasons, would be invoked to deal with immigration applications, he said, adding that the two articles enable the government to have a “dual track” system for Hong Kong affairs.
Wang asked if the plan would be ready in a month, to which Chen replied: “Too late.”
Asked by Wang whether it would be ready in a week, Chen said that the council would do its best to complete it in that time.
Asked by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Yeh Yu-lan (葉毓蘭) whether the council would sponsor a refugee bill to deal with Hong Kong residents wanting to move to Taiwan, Chen said that the act would suffice.
Chen said that Hong Kong applicants should not be referred to as “refugees,” saying that it is a disparaging term not in the act.
Taiwan Statebuilding Party Legislator Chen Po-wei (陳柏惟) asked Chen Ming-tong how the council would act in the hypothetical cases of a Hong Kong police officer accused of assaulting protesters in the territory or the owner of a company sponsored by Beijing wanting to move to Taiwan.
The minister said that Taiwan’s security organs would take appropriate action in such scenarios.
The government should carefully check the background of every applicant from Hong Kong, and only accept those who champion freedom and democracy, and their history should not be assumed amid a rise in the number of arrivals from the territory, Chen Po-wei said, citing Tsai, who on Wednesday said that the number who moved to the nation over the past year rose by 41 percent.
The council and the National Immigration Agency should contemplate whether the investment threshold for immigrants of NT$6 million (US$199,700) should be retained or lowered, and consider whether to approve Hong Kong residents born after 1997, he said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old