The foreign ministry says that a police crackdown on student protesters at the Chinese University of Hong Kong is distressing.
Ministry spokesperson Joanne Ou said Thursday that freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong have been eroded by violence and authoritarianism. She urged the Hong Kong government and China’s central government to stop their oppression.
Ou also said that Taiwan will further stick to its values of freedom and democracy.
Tensions between students and Hong Kong police have continued to escalate in recent days, with no sign of abating. Many schools have closed for safety reasons.
Continuing clashes have sparked concerns for the safety of the more than 1000 Taiwanese students studying in the territory. On Thursday morning, 71 of these students decided to return home.
The education ministry and government agencies have set up a joint special task force to ensure students’ safety and guarantee that those who opt to return home early are able to continue with their studies.