By Choekyi Lhamo
DHARAMSHALA, July 20: Four senior Taiwanese officials from the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Hong Kong were forced to leave Hong Kong last week, after they refused to sign a statement “rigorously upholding the One-China principle” and accepting Hong Kong law as a condition of having their work visas renewed. Taiwanese authorities have said that Hong Kong officials may face similar treatment over work visas as retaliation.
Following the enforcement of national security law in Hong Kong, Taiwanese and Hong Kongers face increasing pressure from the Chinese government. The Mainland Affairs Council, the Taiwanese top mainland policy planner, has threatened to take action to counter Hong Kong’s failure to renew permits for Taiwanese officials stationed in Hong Kong over refusing to sign a document in support for the “One-China” policy.
Kao Ming-tsun, Teco’s Director-General departed on Thursday, a day after two other directors also left. Another secretary with the economic affairs section also returned to Taipei recently for the same reason. Their departures leave TECO with only one director-level official who heads the economic affairs section, along with 15 other lower-level officials and 50 local staff.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council which also supervises Hong Kong and Macau affairs declined to confirm the “One-China” principle was behind the row but complained of “political interference” over the personnel issue. “Teco could continue operating but with self-censorship by its personnel,” said Alexander Huang Chieh-cheng, a former Mainland Affairs Council vice-chairman.
“Through the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Cooperation Council, and Hong Kong-Taiwan Economic and Cultural Cooperation Council, we have expressed our concern over the [work permit] issue, but there has been no direct response from the Hong Kong side and they even raise the unreasonable demand that has gone beyond what was agreed when the two sides set up the offices,” the council said.
