Taiwan's Legislature condemns China law, promotes help for Hong Kongers

Taipei, May 29 (CNA) Taiwan's Legislature issued a statement Friday, denouncing China's plan to enforce a national security law in Hong Kong and urging the Taiwan government to offer help to Hong Kongers.

In a rare joint statement, the major parties in the Legislature said China's decision Thursday to enact the law was putting Hong Kong's autonomy in jeopardy, and they asked the Taiwan government to provide assistance to Hong Kong residents, in accordance with the Act Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau.

The ruling and opposition party caucuses said they are issuing this joint statement out of grave concern that the push by the China's National People's Congress (NPC) to implement the law, bypassing Hong Kong's Legislative Council, would result in "a rapid deterioration of the situation in Hong Kong and adversely affect its people's rights and freedoms."

"We hereby express our deep regret and strong condemnation concerning mainland China's attempts to enforce its version of a national security law in Hong Kong by circumventing the territory's Legislative Council, as Beijing would be reneging on its promise of 'a high degree of autonomy' for 50 years in Hong Kong," the lawmakers said.

Based on the universal values of freedom, democracy and human rights, the Legislative Yuan staunchly supports the Hong Kong people's pursuit of these values, the lawmakers said.

The legislative caucuses unanimously support the Hong Kong peoples' pursuit of a genuine vote for chief executive and all Legislative Council members to restore the territory's stability and prosperity and rebuild its communication channels, according to the statement.

It also called on Taiwan's administration to offer assistance to Hong Kongers whose security and freedoms are at risk due to political factors.

They also suggested that Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), the government agency in charge of cross-Taiwan Strait affairs, keep a close eye on the developments in Hong Kong and present quarterly reports on the territory's special status and its political, economic and social autonomy.