A flash mob of Hong Kongers in Taipei yesterday sang Glory to Hong Kong outside Taipei Railway Station, while urging Taiwanese not to believe Beijing’s promises.
The Hong Kong government last week said it was seeking a court order to prohibit the broadcast or distribution of the song, which was considered the unofficial anthem of the 2019 democracy protests in the territory.
Fung Siu-tin (馮紹天), secretary general of the Taipei-based civic group Hong Kong Outlanders, which organized the flash mob, said that Glory to Hong Kong belongs to Hong Kongers, adding that foreigners often mistake it as the territory’s national anthem.
Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times
Even if China bans the song, it cannot stop the world from singing and spreading it, he said.
Fung said he hopes Taiwan would continue to support Hong Kong, and that what China is doing actions in Hong Kong never happens in Taiwan.
A Hong Konger who goes by the name Fu Tong (赴湯) said that people used to be able to protest in the territory, but are now being arrested for simply holding a blank sheet of paper, referring to protesters being detained in the “Blank Paper Movement” that started late last year.
Overseas Hong Kongers should speak out courageously to show Taiwanese the situation in Hong Kong — people have been deprived of all their freedom in just two years, Fu said.
Hong Kongers were not suppressed for seeking independence, but for pursuing democracy and freedom, he said.
Taiwanese should safeguard their country with their votes, he said.
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
SECURITY: Starlink owner Elon Musk has taken pro-Beijing positions, and allowing pro-China companies to control Taiwan’s critical infrastructure is risky, a legislator said Starlink was reluctant to offer services in Taiwan because of the nation’s extremely high penetration rates in 4G and 5G services, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said yesterday. The ministry made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, which reviewed amendments to Article 36 of the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法). Article 36 bans foreigners from holding more than 49 percent of shares in public telecommunications networks, while shares foreigners directly and indirectly hold are also capped at 60 percent of the total, unless specified otherwise by law. The amendments, sponsored by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko