For Immediate Release
Washington DC – October 2, 2014
Contact: (202) 547-3686
Taiwanese-Americans Express Solidarity With Hong Kong Protesters
Today, the Formosan Association for Public Affairs – a Taiwanese-American grassroots organization with 54 chapters across the United States — expressed its strong support for the demonstrators in Hong Kong in their struggle for democracy.
FAPA President Mark Kao, Ph.D. states: “As a nation-wide Taiwanese American organization that promotes freedom, human rights and democracy for the people of Taiwan, FAPA extends a hand in solidarity to our friends in Hong Kong during their protests calling for more freedom, human rights and democracy for the people of Hong Kong.”
“It is clear that the Beijing’s promises of a “One Country, Two Systems” model for Hong Kong were merely empty promises, and that Beijing is not honoring the commitments made in the 1984 Joint Declaration or the Basic Law.”
Dr. Kao continues: “The recent decisions by Beijing — the June 10th White Paper and the August 31st announcement that the candidates for Hong Kong’s chief executive election in 2017 must be approved by Beijing – show a total disregard for the basic principles of freedom and democracy. Even worse, when the people of Hong Kong took to the streets to peacefully express their views on these issues, they were met with riot police using tear gas and pepper spray. This is unconscionable!”
Dr. Kao adds: “These developments serve as a reminder to the people of Taiwan that they should not allow themselves to be pulled into a closer economic and political embrace by China. We therefore urge the people of Taiwan to resist the attempts by the current Kuomintang government of President Ma Ying-jeou to move further with his rapprochement with China. The Chinese actions on Hong Kong show that this would be detrimental for Taiwan’s future as a free, democratic and independent nation.”
Dr. Kao concludes: “Let me finish by echoing the words of Steve Cabot, the chairman of the Asian Subcommittee of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the U.S. House of Representatives: I think that we have to be very wary when it comes to trusting some of China’s promises. We are seeing it now in Hong Kong. And I think that Taiwan has to be very careful that they don’t get attracted into a situation that might seem like it is a good thing upfront, but once you get involved with China you may find that you can’t get yourself out of their clutches.”
台美人對香港遊行群眾表示支持
台灣人公共事務會於今日表示支持香港民眾為爭取民主而發起的遊行活動。
台灣人公共事務會會長高龍榮博士表示：「做為一個提倡台灣人的自由、人權、民主的全國性台美組織，台灣人公共事務會要對香港的民眾為了爭取自己的自由、人權、民主所發起的抗議遊行，表達我們的支持。」
「北京對香港所謂『一國兩制』的承諾顯然是空頭支票。北京政府並沒有確實遵守並落實1984『中英聯合聲明』以及『香港基本法』。」
高博士接續道：「北京於近日做出兩項舉動：6月10日發布『一國兩制白皮書』以及於8月31日宣布香港2017特首候選人均需經由北京認可。這兩項舉動顯示其完全忽視了自由與民主的基本原則。更甚者，當香港人民選擇走上街頭進行和平示威以表達訴求，他們遭受鎮暴警察以辣椒水及催淚瓦斯攻擊。這太沒有道理了！」
高博士並補充：「香港的情形也提醒台灣人民，不應該再讓自己在政治或經濟上持續向中國靠攏。我們特別呼籲台灣人民竭力阻止馬政府持續傾中的行為。中國在香港的舉動顯示，傾中會傷害台灣做為一個自由、民主、獨立國家的未來。」
高博士總結道：「讓我引用美國眾議院亞太事務小組委員會主席、夏波議員（Steve Chabot）的話做總結：『我認為我們在相信中國所做的某些承諾時必須十分小心。香港就是一個直接的例子。我認為台灣也要十分注意，不應該因為表面上的益處就被中國吸引。一旦你陷進去之後，你可能會發現已經無法脫離中國的掌控。』」