Anti-ELAB demonstrations

Does “Hong Kong Influence” Linger in the 2024 Taiwan Election?

Sanho Chung
It has been widely recognized that Hong Kong’s Anti-Extradition Movement in 2019 was the turning point of the 2020 General Election in Taiwan. In the last general election, Beijing’s hardline crackdown on the protests in Hong Kong gave rise to the Taiwanese’s mistrust of China and finally brought a big win to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which was expected to lose both their majority over the Legislative Yuan and their presidency. But after three years of National Security Law (NSL) enactment in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong issue in this general election seems no longer as focal as it was. How should we make sense of this huge contrast in attention? Has “Hong Kong Influence” faded out totally...
Cross StraitEnglishInternationalJanuary 2023PoliticsRegional Tensions11 min read

As Democracy Further Deteriorates in Hong Kong, Taiwan Proposes Increasing Barriers to Hong Kong Permanent Residency

Brian Hioe
The deterioration of what is left of electoral democracy continues in Hong Kong, with plans by the Hong Kong government to decrease the number of directly elected district councilor seats from over 90% to around 20%. Despite this, the Mainland Affairs Council may move forward with plans to increase the barriers for Hongkongers seeking to obtain permanent residency in Taiwan...
EnglishMay 2023Self-DeterminationSocial MovementsYouth Movements5 min read

Visa Denials for Pro-Democracy District Councilors May Reflect Hardening Views of Hongkongers in Taiwan

Brian Hioe
A report by Hong Kong’s Ming Pao last week stated that at least two current pro-democracy Hong Kong district councilors and several former Hong Kong district councilors have not heard any answer from the Taiwanese government when applying for visas to visit Taiwan, or had their applications rejected. This occurred despite that these district councilors were not intending to flee to Taiwan for asylum, were only hoping to travel with friends and family to Taiwan to vacation, see friends, and sightseeing, and some had successfully entered Taiwan as recently as 2021...
April 2023EnglishSelf-DeterminationSocial MovementsYouth Movements6 min read

Comments by Han on Bill for Hong Kong Asylum Seekers Are Hypocritical

Brian Hioe
An attempt by KMT presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu to attack the DPP on the issue of its failure to pass an asylum law for Hongkongers proves ironic. It is the KMT, after all, which is the political party in Taiwan calling for the political unification of Taiwan and Hong Kong. At the same time, it is true that the DPP has failed to take substantive action to help Hongkongers seeking refuge in Taiwan...
December 2019EnglishPolitics5 min read