Taiwan President: "We Will Establish Special Measures for Hong Kongers Migrating to Taiwan"

Hong Kong Security Law Suppresses Hong Kongers' Freedom... Special Budget and Support
Chinese Government Reiterates 'One China', Warns Taiwan Independence Will Lead to Ruin

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Young-shin] Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is reportedly preparing special measures to assist Hong Kong residents in migrating to Taiwan, according to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 28th.

President Tsai stated that a special committee has been formed to devise ways for Hong Kong residents to live and work in Taiwan, and that a special budget will be allocated for this purpose. She mentioned that with the Chinese government's direct enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Law (Security Law), the freedoms of Hong Kong residents could be suppressed, and that special measures will be introduced as soon as possible for those Hong Kong residents wishing to migrate.

Hong Kong Outlander, a Hong Kong civic group headquartered in Taiwan, said, "Due to the Security Law, many Hong Kong citizens are expected to request migration to Taiwan," adding, "We will provide support as quickly and diversely as possible to Hong Kong residents wishing to migrate." Migration of Hong Kong residents to Taiwan has been accelerating since last year. Amid the intensification of protests against the 'Extradition Bill' last year, the number of Hong Kong residents who migrated to Taiwan reached 5,856, a 41% increase compared to the previous year.

In the first quarter of this year, the number of Hong Kong residents applying for residence visas reached 600, three times more than the same period last year. There were also surges in Hong Kong residents migrating to Taiwan in 1997 (Hong Kong handover) and 2014 (Umbrella Movement). However, Taiwan's support measures for Hong Kong residents migrating this time are expected to further provoke the Chinese government.

President Tsai declared at her second-term inauguration ceremony on the 20th that she would not accept China's "One Country, Two Systems" (一國兩制) policy, setting up a confrontation with the Chinese government. In fact, on the 27th, the Chinese government warned Taiwan's leadership that Taiwan independence would lead to destruction. Wu Qian (吳謙), spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army and the National People's Congress (NPC) delegation, reiterated, "Taiwan is an inseparable part of China," and emphasized, "The Taiwan issue is a Chinese internal affair and a core interest of China, related to the feelings of 1.4 billion Chinese people, so any interference by external forces is unacceptable."