The Mainland Affairs Council is urging people from Hong Kong to follow the law when entering Taiwan. The comments followed a story in the New York Times on Sunday which said that over 200 Hong Kong protestors have fled to Taiwan for safety.
The council said Taiwan has a legal framework in place to enable people from Hong Kong and Macau to enter for humanitarian reasons or other purposes. It urged travelers to respect the law.
President Tsai has spoken out in support of the democracy protests in Hong Kong. But the government has been reluctant to pass a special asylum law for political refugees coming from Hong Kong or China.
The New York Times article described a network of lawyers, churches and fishermen who have helped the demonstrators find haven in Taiwan. Many have come because they fear they will be detained and not receive fair treatment in Hong Kong.
The article said that more than 5,000 people have been arrested in the past six months of protests. Hundreds have been charged and many fear they will receive harsh sentences. Some have even been detained while receiving medical treatment in Hong Kong hospitals. That’s prompted others to seek treatment in Taiwan.
The New York Times says that a smuggling ring charges US$10,000 to bring a person by boat from Hong Kong to Taiwan. It said that one of the central figures in the network is Chi Nan Presbyterian Minister Chun Sen-huang, who helps coordinate trips and arrange housing for those who flee.