Dr. T.Y. Wang, professor and chair of the Department of Politics and Government, published “Hong Kong National Security Law: The View from Taiwan” in the Diplomat.
Professor and Department Chair Dr. T.Y. Wang
China passed a new national security law for Hong Kong. The new legislation will further curtail the political freedom and the rule of law that the “one, country, two systems” unification plan has promised to the former British colony. This development has wider implications because the same plan has been repeatedly pitched to Taiwan by Chinese leaders who has viewed the island as a renegade province.
Employing survey data expanded almost two decades, Wang shows that Taiwan citizens have always been skeptical about Beijing’s offer despite the island’s close economic ties with the mainland. The erosion of Hong Kong’s right and freedom since 1997 has heightened Taiwan citizens’ fear of a political integration with the Chinese. For many of them, “today’s Hong Kong” would be “tomorrow’s Taiwan” if they do not resist. With China’s announcement of new security legislation for Hong Kong, it will only harden Taiwan citizens’ determination to resist Beijing’s unification plan.
