As unceasing unrest continues to hit Hong Kong, a Brussels-based top Taiwan diplomat has said the underlying cause of the dramatic developments in the former British colony is the “failure” of the so-called one-country, two-systems principle. Therefore, Harry Tseng, Ambassador of the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium, warns that China wants to impose the same one-country, two-systems formula on his country. Tseng’s comments echo the recent results of district council election in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy candidates scored a landslide victory that some say attribute to growing support for anti-government protests.
“The message to emerge from these results is that if you want to safeguard human rights and democracy you should support those political parties that are prepared to stand up to the Chinese Communist Party,” said Taiwan’s top diplomat, in a tacit reference to the upcoming key presidential and parliamentary elections in Taiwan on 11 January 2020. Speaking from his office in Brussels, Tsang also warned there was evidence of China’s “interference” and “pressure” in the Taiwan election campaign in an attempt to influence the election results. The resounding victory of the pro-democracy camp in Hong Kong is, in his words, “highly relevant for Taiwan because, with our own elections looming, it demonstrates that the struggle against Chinese oppression is best expressed via the ballot box in a democratic vote.”
“The Hong Kong experience shows that, while China seems determined to impose the system on Taiwan, the one-country, two-systems formula has no credibility,” Tseng further commented. His remarks coincide with a statement from the European Council, which voices concern about “the continuing rise in violence in Hong Kong.” It urges all sides to “exercise restraint and engage constructively in de-escalation efforts. Any violence is unacceptable.” The statement adds that “Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy must be preserved in line with international commitments. Continued respect for fundamental rights and freedoms and the independence of the judiciary remain essential for the development of Hong Kong.”
