Lam Wing-kei (林榮基), a former manager of Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay Books, has urged the government to expedite the processing of immigration applications by investors from Hong Kong.
Lam made the remarks in an interview with the Liberty Times (the sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) on Dec. 11.
Lam, who last year fled to Taiwan and in April opened a Causeway Bay Books in Taipei, said that many people in Hong Kong are still waiting for updates on their applications, and hope to leave Hong Kong as soon as possible out of fear that their departure might be obstructed.
The Chinese Communist Party might intensify its crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, he said, citing Beijing’s treatment of human rights lawyers in China as an example of what the territory might face.
Lam said he was fortunate that the public helped him raise funds to open his store in Taipei, making it possible for him to immigrate to Taiwan.
“This bookstore was opened not by myself, but by everyone — together,” he said. “However, many others in Hong Kong might not have the chance to come to Taiwan, if they cannot leave soon.”
Running a private bookstore is not profitable in Taiwan, but it does have cultural value, he said, adding that the government is aware of this and did not place strict limits on the investment.
While he is unable to make much money selling books, he appreciates the freedoms Taiwan offers him, he said.
“If I were selling books in China, I would have police constantly showing up to see what books I was selling. Under the British colonial government in Hong Kong, there were no restrictions on books,” he said.
Taiwan was aware of the value of such freedoms, as it underwent censorship under the former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government, he said, citing Tonshan Bookstore owner Chen Long-hao (陳隆昊) as a victim of KMT censorship.
Taiwan has received many immigration applications from Hong Kong investors, but has not provided a reliable timetable on investigating applicants and making decisions, he said.
Some applicants wait up to a year with no updates, Lam said.
Many immigration applicants have sold property and paid immigration consultants to help with applications, he said, adding that he hopes the government could do more to help applicants, or provide clearer timelines for applications.
Students from Hong Kong studying in Taiwan are also worried that they would be unable to find employment after graduating with the required minimum salary of NT$47,971 to allow them to stay in Taiwan, he said.
Hopefully, that threshold could be lowered for young Hong Kong applicants, he said.
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