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Over 10 Taiwanese civil rights activist groups gathered outside the legislature on Monday demanding the immediate release of the 47 pro-democracy activists from Hong Kong who were jailed under China's national security law.
According to reports by Radio Taiwan International, the national broadcaster and international radio service of Taiwan, the groups, in a press conference, condemned the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for its actions and called for the immediate release of the activists. They demanded the dropping of all political charges, the withdrawal of the controversial national security law, and the restoration of Hong Kong's democracy through universal suffrage. The 47 activists were charged with "conspiracy to subvert state power" after participating in the 2020 Legislative Council primaries, a move widely seen as an effort to challenge Beijing's increasing control over Hong Kong's political landscape. According to Radio Taiwan International, Lo Chun-xuan, Director of the Peng Foundation for Culture and Education, described the verdict as a "death knell" for Hong Kong's democracy. He criticized the CCP's actions as evidence of its anti-democracy and anti-human rights stance. Sang Pu, Director-General of the Taiwan Hong Kong Association, echoed these concerns, warning that Taiwan should learn from Hong Kong's experience and not trust promises made by the CCP. He stressed the importance of resisting China's attempts to annex Taiwan and avoiding the same fate as Hong Kong. Yang Huang Maysing, Chairwoman of the Asia-Pacific Liberal Women Association, called on the international community to impose economic sanctions on China in response to the crackdown. She also urged Hong Kong and Chinese citizens to continue their fight for their rights, stating that while the cost of freedom may be high, their struggle would be supported by the democratic world. Sky Fung, Secretary-General of the Hongkongers Outlanders, added that Hong Kong's people do not stand with China as much as the Chinese government claims. He called for continued global attention on Hong Kong's fight for democracy and urged international solidarity in supporting their cause. The press conference highlighted the growing concern over Hong Kong's future and the broader implications of China's tightening grip on the region. Hong Kong was a British colony from 1842 until 1997 when it was handed back to China under a "one country, two systems" arrangement. This framework allowed Hong Kong to maintain a high degree of autonomy, including freedoms of speech, press, and assembly, along with an independent judiciary and a capitalist economy, while recognizing Chinese sovereignty. The 1997 handover was meant to ensure that Hong Kong would retain these freedoms for 50 years, until 2047. However, over the past two decades, China's increasing political and economic power has led to growing concerns about the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy. Under President Xi Jinping's leadership, the CCP has gradually tightened its control over Hong Kong, leading to widespread protests and civil unrest. (ANI)
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