The Mainland Affairs Council yesterday put its stamp of approval on the performance of the pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong's legislative elections, while officials and academics analyzed the reasons for the pro-democracy side's showing falling short of expectations.
"China mobilized all kinds of resources to assist the pro-Beijing and pro-government candidates, but the pro-democracy camp still managed to clinch 62.5 percent of the votes. It's a big victory for the Hong Kong people," council Vice Chairman Chiu Tai-san (邱太三) said.
"We hold a positive view of the outcome of the election," Chiu said at a seminar hosted by the Friends of Hong Kong and Macau Association to discuss the election's impact on the area's democratization.
Beijing has learned election strategies through the legislative elections, including how to nominate candidates and distribute votes, former council vice chairman Chen Ming-tong (陳明通) said.
Through the election, the Chinese government has come to know how democracy works and still feels confident about controlling democratic development in Hong Kong, Chen said.
"For Beijing, the result shall be acceptable if not satisfactory. As for the pro-democracy camp, it might have to review how to integrate its resources to win an election," he said.
Chang Wu-yue (
Some voters were hesitant to vote for the pro-democracy camp even though they were supportive of its candidates, Chang said.
"They feared a landslide victory for the pro-democracy side would provoke Beijing to further tighten its grip on the region's democratic development. They had mixed feelings about the elections," he said.
China would be upset if the pro-Beijing and pro-government camp did not gain a satisfactory number of seats in the Legislative Council (LegCo) after making "unprecedented" efforts to control the outcome of the elections, Chang said.
According to Chang, Beijing's strategy was to secure at least one seat for its favored candidate in each constituency.
GLOBAL ISSUE: If China annexes Taiwan, ‘it will not stop its expansion there, as it only becomes stronger and has more force to expand further,’ the president said China’s military and diplomatic expansion is not a sole issue for Taiwan, but one that risks world peace, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday, adding that Taiwan would stand with the alliance of democratic countries to preserve peace through deterrence. Lai made the remark in an exclusive interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times). “China is strategically pushing forward to change the international order,” Lai said, adding that China established the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, launched the Belt and Road Initiative, and pushed for yuan internationalization, because it wants to replace the democratic rules-based international
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
The National Development Council (NDC) yesterday unveiled details of new regulations that ease restrictions on foreigners working or living in Taiwan, as part of a bid to attract skilled workers from abroad. The regulations, which could go into effect in the first quarter of next year, stem from amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) passed by lawmakers on Aug. 29. Students categorized as “overseas compatriots” would be allowed to stay and work in Taiwan in the two years after their graduation without obtaining additional permits, doing away with the evaluation process that is currently required,
RELEASED: Ko emerged from a courthouse before about 700 supporters, describing his year in custody as a period of ‘suffering’ and vowed to ‘not surrender’ Former Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was released on NT$70 million (US$2.29 million) bail yesterday, bringing an end to his year-long incommunicado detention as he awaits trial on corruption charges. Under the conditions set by the Taipei District Court on Friday, Ko must remain at a registered address, wear a GPS-enabled ankle monitor and is prohibited from leaving the country. He is also barred from contacting codefendants or witnesses. After Ko’s wife, Peggy Chen (陳佩琪), posted bail, Ko was transported from the Taipei Detention Center to the Taipei District Court at 12:20pm, where he was fitted with the tracking
RSS