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Hong Kongers in Taiwan firmly support the ruling party after watching China erode freedoms at home
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Chui Pak-tai, center, a Taiwanese of Hong Kong descent, greets to Taiwanese voters at a traditional market in New Taipei City, Taiwan, on Dec. 8, 2023. At 72, Chui, a former Hong Kong pro-democracy district councilor who secured Taiwan residency 11 years ago, is running for legislative office. Although he faces long odds, his campaign draws attention to the immigration challenges of the Hong Kong diaspora. - photo by AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying
HONG KONG (AP) — As Taiwan’s presidential election approaches, many immigrants from Hong Kong, witnesses to the alarming erosion of civil liberties at home, are supporting the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. Beijing’s crackdown on dissent in the financial hub has cemented their preference for a party committed to preserving Taiwan’s de facto independence and democratic values ahead of the Jan. 13 vote. While Taiwanese immigration policies have been less welcoming than some from Hong Kong anticipated, most remain steadfast in their support for the DPP, largely due to the party’s firm stance on autonomy from Beijing, according to interviews with 10 Hong Kongers, over half of whom moved to Taiwan after the 2019 anti-government protests.