Taiwan's President assures Hong Kong of 'necessary support' as protests worsen

As protests in Hong Kong worsened on May 25, Taiwan’s president said that her country would provide Hong Kong with “necessary assistance”.  In recent years, Taiwan has become a refuge centre for growing pro-democracy protesters fleeing Hong Kong. Hundreds of people took to streets after China proposed a bill aimed at forbidding secessionist and subversive activity, as well as foreign interference and terrorism.

Taking to Facebook, Tsai Ing-wen slammed China for the move and wrote, "In the past few days, the National People's Congress of China is planning to bypass the Hong Kong legislature and formulate the so-called "Hong Kong version of the National Security Law", which seriously threatens the future of Hong Kong. If the law is implemented, the core values ​​of Hong Kong ’s democratic freedom and judicial independence will be severely eroded.”

Expressing concern about people of Hong Kong, she added that that solution was “real implementation of freedom and democracy” not fear, repression and bullets. The Taiwanese leader wrote that citizens in her country have always helped Hong Kong people struggling to defend their nation's core values. She further wrote that the international community was actively extending support to Hong Kong and that Taiwan will also actively “improve related rescue work” and provide the “necessary assistance” to the people of Hong Kong. Though Taiwan has no law for refugees that could be applied to Hong Kong protesters who seek asylum, its laws do promise to help Hong Kong citizens whose safety and liberty are threatened for political reasons.

Read: Hong Kong Police Fire Volleys Of Tear Gas At Protesters

Read: Police Make More Arrests During Hong Kong Protest

Protests get worse

On May 24, hundreds of demonstrators, all clad in black outfits, reportedly gathered at the Causeway Bay, a popular shopping district. Protesting against the proposed legislation, they reportedly chanted  slogans including "Stand with Hong Kong," “Liberate Hong Kong” and “Revolution of our times.” Following which, the police intervened and arrested Tam Tak-chi, a prominent activist accusing him of “unauthorized assembly”. The police also fired volleys of tear gas on the demonstrators. 

Read: Hong Kong Security Law Must Be Imposed 'without Slightest Delay' Says China's FM

Read: Hong Kong Police Fire Tear Gas As Thousands Protest Against China's New Security Law