China’s national security legislation for Hong Kong has obliterated the territory’s “one country, two systems” model, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, pledging to continue its support for the people of Hong Kong.
Taiwanese society has a strong faith in the principles of freedom and democracy, which are universal values for peoples worldwide, the party said in a statement.
The statement reiterated a recent statement from President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who doubles as the DPP chairperson: “The people of Hong Kong have the right to pursue their own freedom and democracy, and also have the right to choose their own way of life and system of government. In Taiwan’s role as an important fortress for democracy in Asia, we will always support people pursuing these universal values.”
Photo: CNA
The DPP said that by enacting the national security legislation on the eve of the 23rd anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover to China, Beijing has “revealed to the world of Chinese government’s hubris and autocratic ways. It has obliterated China’s promise under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and its guarantee of ‘one country, two systems’ model for Hong Kong.”
“In the past year, China had ratcheted up pressure on Hong Kong’s people by pushing to approve an extradition bill, a regulation banning the use of masks at protests, a national anthem law and now the national security legislation. All these have thoroughly shattered the ‘one country, two systems’ model,” it added.
“Throughout this period, the DPP has condemned these decisions by the governments of China and Hong Kong, and persistently voiced support for the people of Hong Kong... Our government had implemented a humanitarian aid program to provide concrete assistance,” the statement said.
DPP Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) said all Taiwanese must guard their personal safety when visiting Hong Kong for holidays, business or other reasons following passage of the national security legislation.
“This legislation directly affects the people of Hong Kong, and it also affects Taiwanese. It can also intrude into the lives of people of other nations around the world,” Lin said.
“We are very concerned on the situation there, and will help our Hong Kong friends through Mainland Affairs Council’s ‘Taiwan-Hong Kong Interaction Office,’ which began operations today,” he said.
“Our future efforts will follow President Tsai Ing-wen’s guidance on implementing a humanitarian aid program for the people of Hong Kong,” he added.
The first global hotel Keys Selection by the Michelin Guide includes four hotels in Taiwan, Michelin announced yesterday. All four received the “Michelin One Key,” indicating guests are to experience a “very special stay” at any of the locations as the establishments are “a true gem with personality. Service always goes the extra mile, and the hotel provides much more than others in its price range.” Of the four hotels, three are located in Taipei and one in Taichung. In Taipei, the One Key accolades were awarded to the Capella Taipei, Kimpton Da An Taipei and Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Capella Taipei was described by
EVA Airways today confirmed the death of a flight attendant on Saturday upon their return to Taiwan and said an internal investigation has been launched, as criticism mounted over a social media post accusing the airline of failing to offer sufficient employee protections. According to the post, the flight attendant complained of feeling sick on board a flight, but was unable to take sick leave or access medical care. The crew member allegedly did not receive assistance from the chief purser, who failed to heed their requests for medical attention or call an ambulance once the flight landed, the post said. As sick
The Taichung District Court yesterday confirmed its final ruling that the marriage between teenage heir Lai (賴) and a man surnamed Hsia (夏) was legally invalid, preventing Hsia from inheriting Lai’s NT$500 million (US$16.37 million) estate. The court confirmed that Hsia chose not to appeal the civil judgement after the court handed down its ruling in June, making the decision final. In the June ruling, the court said that Lai, 18, and Hsia, 26, showed “no mutual admiration before the marriage” and that their interactions were “distant and unfamiliar.” The judge concluded that the couple lacked the “true intention of
A drunk woman was sexually assaulted inside a crowded concourse of Taipei Railway Station on Thursday last week before a foreign tourist notified police, leading to calls for better education on bystander intervention and review of security infrastructure. The man, surnamed Chiu (邱), was taken into custody on charges of sexual assault, taking advantage of the woman’s condition and public indecency. Police discovered that Chiu was a fugitive with prior convictions for vehicle theft. He has been taken into custody and is to complete his unserved six-month sentence, police said. On Thursday last week, Chiu was seen wearing a white
RSS