Sunflower movement leader Chen Wei-ting (陳為廷) was denied entry to Hong Kong yesterday after he tried to go to the former British colony to participate in the pro-democracy movement there.
After returning to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Chen recounted his experience, saying that immigration officers had taken him aside while he was passing through customs at Hong Kong International Airport and led him to a small room.
Chen said the officials told him that his “Taiwan compatriot’s travel document” (台胞證) — a permit issued by Chinese authorities allowing Taiwanese to travel to China that can also be used to enter Hong Kong — had been nullified.
Photo: CNA
However, Chen said the document was not due to expire until 2018.
The Sunflower leader said the officials searched him, which added to his feeling that he was being treated like a terrorist.
He was then escorted by the officers onto a flight bound for Taiwan that departed at 5:45pm and arrived at Taoyuan International Airport at about 7:30pm.
Prior to departing from the Taoyuan airport at 2pm yesterday, Chen said he was going to Hong Kong to join in activists’ fight for democracy.
“I hope that Beijing and the Hong Kong government will not try to block the interaction and exchanges between civic groups in Taiwan and in Hong Kong,” he said. “If Hong Kong decides to deport me, I will have no choice but to come back, but I’d like to see how the Mainland Affairs Council will react, since it once said that it would try to give me a hand in such matters.”
Chen was referring to Hong Kong authorities’ denial of visa applications filed by himself and his fellow Taiwan March cofounders Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) and Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) last week.
The trio had intended to join pro-democracy demonstrations taking place in the territory.
Despite their failure to get visas, Chen decided to travel to Hong Kong anyway using his “Taiwan compatriot’s travel document.”
Lin and Huang could not accompany him, as they do not have the travel permit.
Chinese dissident Wang Dan (王丹), who is living in exile in Taiwan, expressed support for Chen’s efforts on Facebook, writing: “Although he was denied a visa, Chen still decided to go to Hong Kong [yesterday]. He may not be allowed into Hong Kong, but our friends in Hong Kong should get a clear message: Those who participated in Taiwan’s Sunflower movement will be standing firmly together with the force for democracy in Hong Kong.”
“The demonstration on July 1 [tomorrow] is coming — Hong Kongers, you are not alone,” Wang posted.
Additional reporting by Yao Chi-hsiu
Taiwan’s Lee Chia-hao (李佳豪) on Sunday won a silver medal at the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham, England, a career best. Lee, 25, took silver in the final of the men’s singles against world No. 1 Shi Yuqi (石宇奇) of China, who won 21-17, 21-19 in a tough match that lasted 51 minutes. After the match, the Taiwanese player, who ranks No. 22 in the world, said it felt unreal to be challenging an opponent of Shi’s caliber. “I had to be in peak form, and constantly switch my rhythm and tactics in order to score points effectively,” he said. Lee got
‘CROWN JEWEL’: Washington ‘can delay and deter’ Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans for Taiwan, but it is ‘a very delicate situation there,’ the secretary of state said US President Donald Trump is opposed to any change to Taiwan’s “status quo” by force or extortion and would maintain that policy, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the Hugh Hewitt Show host on Wednesday. The US’ policy is to maintain Taiwan’s “status quo” and to oppose any changes in the situation by force or extortion, Rubio said. Hewitt asked Rubio about the significance of Trump earlier this month speaking with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) at the White House, a meeting that Hewitt described as a “big deal.” Asked whether the meeting was an indication of the
‘RELATIVELY STRONG LANGUAGE’: An expert said the state department has not softened its language on China and was ‘probably a little more Taiwan supportive’ China’s latest drills near Taiwan on Monday were “brazen and irresponsible threats,” a US Department of State spokesperson said on Tuesday, while reiterating Washington’s decades-long support of Taipei. “China cannot credibly claim to be a ‘force for stability in a turbulent world’ while issuing brazen and irresponsible threats toward Taiwan,” the unnamed spokesperson said in an e-mailed response to media queries. Washington’s enduring commitment to Taiwan will continue as it has for 45 years and the US “will continue to support Taiwan in the face of China’s military, economic, informational and diplomatic pressure campaign,” the e-mail said. “Alongside our international partners, we firmly
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it has lodged a protest with Pretoria after the name of the Taipei Liaison Office in South Africa was changed to the “Taipei Commercial Office” on the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s (DIRCO) Web site. In October last year, the South African government asked Taiwan to relocate the Taipei Liaison Office, the nation’s de facto embassy, out of Pretoria. It later agreed to continue negotiating through official channels, but in January asked that the office be relocated by the end of this month. As of the middle of last month, DIRCO’s Web
RSS