To help the people fleeing Hong Kong after China’s contentious National Security Law came into force in the city, Taiwan has now opened an office on Wednesday. The Taiwan-Hong Kong Services and Exchange Office opened in Taipei, the capital city. Senior minister Chen Ming-tong called the project “an important milestone for the government to further support democracy and freedom in Hong Kong”.
Since pro-democracy protests began in the city last year, about 200 people have already fled to Taiwan. Officials in Taiwan are now expecting more asylum seekers after China’s National Security Law was implemented this week.
Taiwan has opened an office to help pro-democracy protesters of Hong Kong – who wish to flee from the city in wake of the new security law passed by China. Nearly 200 pro-democracy Hongkongers moved to Taiwan in 2019. @alysonle has more details pic.twitter.com/LIkCHyJw0e
— WION (@WIONews) July 1, 2020
China introduces new National Security Law
The Communist Party of China has introduced a new national security law for Hong Kong, which introduces new crimes with severe penalties – up to life in prison – and allows Chinese security forces to legally operate in the city.
The legislation gives extensive powers to China, which is intended to quell the ongoing protests in the Hong Kong demanding liberation from the occupation of Chinese. The legislation enables China to bring Hong Kong protestors to the mainland, prosecute and sentence them there. It also significantly restricts the city’s autonomy. Last week, the USA senate had passed a bill that seeks to sanction Chinese individuals and banks that help in restricting the city’s autonomy.
With the new law coming to effect, China has reportedly arrested the peaceful protests under the new sweeping national security laws imposed on the autonomous region of Hong Kong on Wednesday. At least 70 people were arrested on Wednesday.
China’s new law gets flagged by several nations for human rights violation
India, today, launched a diplomatic offensive against China by expressing concerns over China’s new security law. The Indian Ambassador to the United Nation raised the issue of China’s new National Security Law in the city that curtails freedom of expression of the people and also called for the proper management into the rising situation.
At the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Rajiv Kumar Chander, the country’s ambassador and permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, said that given the large Indian community that lives in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, India has been keeping “a close watch on recent developments”.
Earlier, the United States, Britain, the EU and UN rights agencies had all voiced fears against the Chinese law, which was intended to stifle protests in Hong Kong against Beijing.
