Rep. Chang rebuffs China’s stance while expressing concerns on Hong Kong
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The Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat published an opinion piece by Janet Chang, the new Head of the Taipei Representative Office in Finland, on 10 August. Representative Chang wrote that the government and people of Taiwan are watching closely how Beijing might put the protests in Hong Kong to an end. If China determined to deprive the Hong Kong people of freedom and the rule of law, it would only further alienate the Taiwanese people.
Representative Chang pointed out that China’s heavy hand on the issue confirms the deeply-rooted fear of the Hongkongers. The democratic values, the rule of law and freedom of speech that they hold dear are under threat. They fear that China would break its promise of maintaining the “one country, two systems” for 50 years.
Representative Chang argued that Beijing has long preached to the Taiwanese people the success of the Hong Kong model. However, Taiwan as a sovereign country will never downgrade itself to accept a model of this kind. If Beijing cannot keep its commitment to Hong Kong, how could the people of Taiwan ever trust the Beijing’s promise of maintaining a peaceful relation with Taiwan?
Helsingin Sanomat is the largest newspaper in Finland with circulation larger than 300, 000 copies. It is a newspaper of significance for the political figures of the capital and elites across the country.
