Taiwan Legislature Holds Public Hearing to Oppose Hong Kong's Article 23 and the Public Expresses Their Concern about Beijing's Undermining Democracy and Freedom (Photos)

(Clearwisdom.net) The Taiwan Legislature held a public hearing to oppose Hong Kong's Article 23 on December 19, 2002, which was sponsored by the Taiwan Human Rights Promotion Association. The speakers included Human Rights Commissioner in the Presidential Office Yang Hsien-Hung, Legislation Committee members Lin Cho-Shui and Chien Shi, President of the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association Chang Ching-Chi, Director of China Human Rights Association Wu Hui-Lin, and Chairman of Department of Politic Science, Taiwan University, Ming Chu-Cheng. Many people from all walks of life concerned about the people of Hong Kong's freedom and human rights attended the meeting.

Legislation Committee member Lin Cho-Shui said that Hong Kong had made extensive changes after it was returned to China's control. He said, "The legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law will be used to deal with everyone, including Falun Gong practitioners. It is clear that this totalitarian regime suppresses dissidents without any leniency. Any organizations that are perceived to be a threat to the regime will be persecuted."

According to an anonymous source, the Hong Kong government's actions regarding Article 23 are a result of political pressure from Beijing. The main reason is that Falun Gong practitioners have freedom to practice in Hong Kong, which makes tourists from the Mainland be very suspicious about the negative reports about Falun Gong from the Chinese official media. Thus, the regime in Beijing has made the decision to more tightly control Hong Kong in spite of their previous promise of not changing the political system in Hong Kong for 50 years. The people of Taiwan have repeatedly expressed their grave concern on this matter, as they can see clearly that this is a blatant attempt to destroy human rights and freedom in Hong Kong.

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