The legislative caucuses of three parties yesterday reiterated calls to amend a law governing relations with Hong Kong to elucidate steps the government could take to help protesters there.
The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the New Power Party (NPP) said that they have separately created draft amendments to Article 18 of the Act Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau (香港澳門關係條例).
The article requires the government to aid Hong Kongers who face political persecution, but does not specify a specific course of action.
Photo: Lin Liang-sheng, Taipei Times
The KMT’s proposal, which would create a way for Hong Kongers with criminal records who are believed to be victims of political persecution to be allowed to enter Taiwan, was submitted by KMT Legislator Charles Chen (陳以信).
Individuals with criminal records would normally be required to apply for special permission to enter Taiwan, and entry without permission is punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to NT$90,000, according to Article 74 of the Immigration Act (入出國及移民法).
The KMT’s amendment would exclude Hong Kongers from Article 74.
It was necessary for the amendment to address entry into Taiwan, as this is not covered by the laws governing Hong Kong, Chen said, adding that the change must be stipulated so that Taiwan can effectively provide emergency help to Hong Kongers.
The proposal would be ready for review by Friday at the earliest, he said.
Chen said he still hopes that full democracy would be implemented in Hong Kong.
Separately, NPP caucus whip Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) said that his party finished its proposed amendment at the end of last month and was waiting for the draft to be reviewed.
An amendment is crucial, as the situation in Hong Kong is becoming “increasingly dangerous,” and there will likely be a spike in the number of people seeking help from Taiwan, Chiu said.
Hong Kongers and people from Macau who, because of their political views, expressions or the community they belong to, come under threat in the territories should be offered political protection, he said, adding that the NPP draft says that they would be eligible to apply for protection through rules governing political asylum seekers.
Chiu called on Legislative Speaker You Si-kun (游錫堃) to convene a cross-party caucus meeting as soon as possible to discuss the NPP proposal and to issue a joint statement denouncing the Chinese Communist Party’s planned implementation of a national security law in Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, TPP caucus whip Lai Hsiang-ling (賴香伶) said that the TPP completed a proposal on May 15 and that it had already passed one reading.
The TPP supports the democracy movement in Hong Kong, Lai said.
Echoing statements from the other parties, she said an amendment was urgently needed to bolster the government’s efforts to help protesters in Hong Kong.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, CWA forecaster Liu Pei-teng said. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan’s average temperature was 27.381°C as of Thursday, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1°C by the end of yesterday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009°C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around Oct. 18 or 19
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS