Chinese dissident Wang Dan (王丹), one of the student leaders at the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest, who is now teaching in Taiwan, entered Hong Kong yesterday while on his way from the US.
Radio Television Hong Kong reported that Wang, who was exiled from China after the protests, had been delayed at Hong Kong’s airport early in the morning because his flight to Taiwan was suspended because of Typhoon Saola.
“It’s magic to step onto Hong Kong soil,” Wang said in a Facebook post.
In an interview on Hong Kong Radio, Wang said he did not intend to enter Hong Kong, but described the situation as “symbolically significant.” He said he would not “seek to sneak in” to Hong Kong, but believes that “one day” he will be allowed to visit.
In January last year, Wang tried to obtain permission to visit Hong Kong for the funeral of veteran democracy activist Szeto Wah (司徒華), a politician affiliated with the pan-democracy camp in Hong Kong who had helped many dissidents flee China after the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Beijing, which saw hundreds, if not thousands, killed.
At the time, Wang had pledged to attend Wah’s memorial in a personal capacity and said he had no political motive. However, his request was denied with no reason given by the Hong Kong authorities.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
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