by Samuel Feng
This Monday marks the 27th anniversary of the Hong Kong handover from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China. Members of Taiwan’s DPP held a press conference highlighting the consequences of China’s ruling on Hong Kong.
DPP Legislator Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) pointed out that since China’s introduction of their national security law in 2020 and the passing of the new security legislation known as Article 23 in March 2024, no more major street demonstrations are allowed in the city. Highlighting the suppressed political environment in Hong Kong since the handover, Hung claimed that China’s “one country, two systems, 50 years unchanged” promise is a lie. Hong Kong is now under the rule of “one country, one system,” according to Hung.
Hung warned Taiwan’s KMT and Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) against “flirting and making secret deals” with China's Communist Party. Those behaviors, Hung said, go against the wishes of the Taiwanese people and will destroy Taiwan’s future.
During the press conference, DPP spokesperson Justin Wu (吳崢) also mentioned the government’s recent orange alert travel warning for China, Hong Kong, and Macau. He rebuffed oppositional parties’ criticism that the decision was politicized and created unnecessary tension along the Taiwan Strait. Wu cited Hong Kong’s increasingly oppressive political environment and China’s continuous pressure on Taiwan among the reasons behind the travel warning.