A call by Hong Kong activists to “evacuate to Taiwan” appears to have hit a nerve, with government data showing a sixfold increase in the number of applications for residency from Hong Kongers.
The National Immigration Agency (NIA) said it received an average of 100 such applications per month between January and August. However, 632 applications were filed in September, the most recent data available.
Applications by residents of Hong Kong and Macau to live in Taiwan totaled 1,598 through August, while there were 486 applications for permanent residency during the same period.
Residents of the two former colonies can apply for permanent residency after living in Taiwan for a specific period of time and the figures are seen as “leading indicators” of an intention to settle in Taiwan, an agency official said.
“We have definitely seen an increasing trend in the past few years. We had a historic high last year in the number of Hong Kongers applying for residency in Taiwan. The amount of applications for permanent residence also hit a new high last year since China took over Hong Kong [in 1997],” the official said.
There has been a growing groundswell of discontent in Hong Kong in recent months, with massive protests being held against the government. The situation has been exacerbating by the skyrocketing price of housing and falling wages, along with many Hong Kong residents feeling that their social welfare entitlements are being squeezed by the upsurge in Chinese residents in the territory.
Media in Hong Kong have been reporting on a generation of “angry youth,” who are prompting the calls to emigrate.
The Hong Kong government last month granted television broadcast licenses to two networks, both controlled by business tycoons, while denying a license to Hong Kong Television Network, which is perceived as more aligned with democracy and media freedom causes. The decision led to more than 100,000 people attending anti-government rallies to protest the move.
Some young people have initiated an “Evacuate to Taiwan” campaign on their Facebook pages, which has received a positive response and appears to be gathering steam among the territory’s youth.
The Rules Governing Permits for People from Hong Kong and Macau Setting Up Residence or Permanent Residence in Taiwan (香港澳門居民進入臺灣地區及居留定居許可辦法) set out the requirements that residents of the former British colony who wish to move to Taiwan must follow.
Like other foreigners, some Hong Kongers can come to Taiwan on employment contracts, or if they possess special skills.
Hong Kong residents can also apply under the “investment immigrant” category if they invest NT$5 million (US$169,000) or more in Taiwan or deposit NT$5 million or more into a Taiwanese bank account for more than a year.
Analysts say the amount, equivalent to about HK$1.35 million, would only buy about 1 ping (3.305m2) of property in the territory’s pricey hillside residential districts.
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
By refusing to agree spending increases to appease US President Donald Trump, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threatened to derail a summit that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte needs to run smoothly for the sake of the military alliance’s future survival. Ahead of yesterday’s gathering in The Hague, Netherlands, things were going off the rails. European officials have expressed irritation at the spoiler role that Sanchez is playing when their No. 1 task is to line up behind a pledge to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. Rutte needed to keep Spain in line while preventing others such as Slovakia