Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council has condemned the arrest of around 50 Hong Kong democracy activists and politicians.
The arrested were detained under a controversial national security law covering Hong Kong. They stand accused of attempting to "subvert state power" by taking part in an unofficial primary organized by Hong Kong's pro-democracy camp last year in an effort to determine which candidates might fare best in elections.
In a statement Wednesday, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council said that Taiwan and the international community have been shocked by the arrests. The council also said that Taiwan and the international community condemn any move to suppress human rights and democracy.
The council said that Hong Kong has been turned from the "Pearl of the East" into the "Purgatory of the East". It also said that the continued erosion of freedom and democracy in Hong Kong will affect the territory's position as an international financial center, something bad for China as a whole. The council said that unless Beijing exercises caution and restraint in Hong Kong, it will have to face the consequences of its actions.