470 Asylum Applications So Far
Approval Process Is Strict... Financial Hardships While Waiting
Successful Asylum Seekers Feel "Survivor's Guilt"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] “I never imagined I would have to leave this place (Taiwan).”
When Teddy (a pseudonym) embarked on a journey last year from Hong Kong to Taiwan, about 600 km away, on a small lifeboat, he never thought that a few months after leaving Taiwan, he would seek asylum in the United States.
He left Hong Kong shortly after the Chinese authorities enacted the National Security Law, which strictly punishes rebellion, treason, and terrorist acts within Hong Kong. Earlier, he had been prosecuted by Hong Kong authorities following the large-scale anti-government protests in 2019 and faced the risk of up to eight years in prison.
After a difficult journey, he arrived in Taiwan and requested legal residency from the Taiwanese authorities. He is one of many Hongkongers who came to Taiwan, most of whom live in hiding to avoid the surveillance network of Hong Kong authorities, to the extent that they have cut off contact with their families residing in Hong Kong.
The problem arose afterward. When a Taiwanese media outlet reported on their escape stories, the situation reversed. Due to concerns over diplomatic conflicts with China, the Taiwanese government instructed all of them to leave Taiwan.
Then, in January of this year, Teddy arrived in Washington, USA, through a humanitarian visa issued by Taiwan and requested asylum from the U.S. authorities.
Teddy is one of hundreds of citizens who left Hong Kong to seek asylum in other countries. The Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, “So far, 470 Hongkongers have applied for asylum with foreign governments.”
According to SCMP, the countries where they applied for asylum include Australia (305), the United Kingdom (121), Canada (21), the United States (15), Germany (3), and New Zealand (fewer than 5).
Steve Chang, director of the China Research Institute at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) in the UK, emphasized, “The fact that these Western countries are willing to accept asylum applications from hundreds of Hongkongers itself shows that Western countries take the human rights issues in Hong Kong very seriously.”
Since the enforcement of the Hong Kong National Security Law last year, more than 100 opposition activists have been arrested, and at least 20 key figures in the democratization movement have left Hong Kong.
19-year-old Sophia (a pseudonym) is also one of them and is currently waiting for asylum approval from the UK government. She appeals that the approval process requires a strict screening procedure and is very complicated.
Sophia’s main concern is that she must prove to the UK government that she is indeed in a situation where she needs to apply for asylum. She said that only by providing detailed information about her activities in the democratization movement in Hong Kong can she be recognized as being in urgent need of asylum.
However, she said that passing such screening procedures is not easy without photos or videos documenting her activities leading the democratization protests in 2019.
Currently, she was offered unconditional admission from a university in the UK and could stay there, but she complains that even this is not enough to live a normal life due to the enormous tuition fees.
In particular, since she has not yet been granted asylum, she is unable to hold a job.
Sophia said, “I know many other asylum applicants are also struggling financially, so I cannot just complain.”
Among the 121 Hongkongers who have applied for asylum with the UK government so far, only three have been approved. Seven were rejected, and 20 withdrew their applications.
Even Hongkongers who have succeeded in obtaining asylum status are not free from psychological pressure.
Finn Law, who campaigns for Hong Kong democracy in the UK, said that the problem asylum seekers face is “survivor’s guilt.”
He said, “Those who have succeeded in asylum feel guilty about their good fortune,” and emphasized, “The only way for them to relieve this guilt is to become more actively involved in the democratization of Hong Kong.”
Nathan Law, who previously served as a pro-democracy legislator in Hong Kong and now resides in the UK, said, “I feel guilty every time I see my friends in prison,” and added, “What we are doing here (in the UK) now is part of the journey for all of us to return to Hong Kong.”
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