Taiwan: Joint Statement from Public Officials Condemns Hong Kong Government, Warns It Not to Be An Accomplice of the CCP

Falun Gong practitioners in Taiwan visited public officials regarding Hong Kong's forceful deportation of more than five hundred practitioners between June 24th to July 1st. Chen Ting-hsiu, head of Wuchi Township, Chang Chi-ming, chairman of the Kaohsing branch of the Democratic Progressive Party, Yang Chiu-hsing, head of Kaohsing County, and Song Ting-deng, director of the Labour Bureau of Kaohsing County, jointly signed a statement expressing their care and support for Falun Gong practitioners and calling on the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong government and the Director of the Immigration Department to apologise to the Taiwanese people.

Director Chang Chi-ming has a photo taken with the statement he signed

County head of Kaohsing and Falun Gong practitioners who were forcefully deported

Mayor of Fengshan signs the statement condemning the Hong Kong government

On the morning of July 11st, Falun Gong practitioners visit township head Chen Ting-hsiu

On the morning of July 11st, Falun Gong practitioners visit township head Chen Ting-hsiu. Practitioner Li Hsiu-li said, "The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has persecuted Falun Gong for eight years. Falun Gong practitioners continuously expose the facts of the persecution in a peaceful way. Hong Kong's forceful deportation of practitioners with legal visas is an international issue. The main culprit behind the incident is the CCP. I hope the township leader will uphold justice for the practitioners and sign the statement strongly condemning the Hong Kong Government's forceful deportation of over five hundred practitioners and also sign an open letter to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. The open letter calls for an apology from the Chief Executive and director of the Immigration Department of Hong Kong."

Township head Chen Ting-hsiu said that he supported the efforts of Falun Gong practitioners. He was indignant to hear that Falun Gong practitioners received such unfair treatment. He wished to contribute to human rights. He believed that Falun Gong benefits people physically and mentally and that Falun Gong practitioners are kind people.

He said he would extend the appeal to the county head and request him to have a press conference to condemn the Hong Kong government's forceful deportation and make sure there will be no future occurrence of such incidents for Taiwanese people visiting Hong Kong.

On the afternoon of July 10th, director Chang Chi-ming of the Kaohsing Branch of the Democratic Progressive Party met with a dozen Falun Gong practitioners in his office. He was disappointed at Hong Kong's violations of human rights and the retreat of the rule of law over the last ten years after returning sovereignty to China. He signed the letter calling for an apology from the Chief Executive and director of the Immigration Department of Hong Kong.

After reading the appeal letter and watching the video footage of Hong Kong's forceful deportation, director Chang emphasised that Falun Gong practitioners are good people, and he expressed his condemnation of the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong. He also expressed his wish to learn Falun Gong on the spot and said he would help spread Falun Gong to the public. In addition, he would cooperate with practitioners in investigating the CCP's live organ harvesting and discuss with other party members on how to support CIPFG's human rights torch relay and boycott of the Olympic Games in Beijing.

The Kaohsing County Council held a temporary meeting. On the last day of the meeting, Falun Gong practitioners handed over the statement to county officials and council members. More than thirty officials, including the county head, the mayor of Fengshan, the county administrator and council members signed the joint statement.

County head Yang said that he supported Falun Gong practitioners' efforts on human rights. Last year, the CCP's live organ removal was exposed. Notices were issued to hospitals in Kaohsing which called on patients not to go to China for organ transplants. He was shocked and disappointed at Hong Kong's forceful deportation of the practitioners. He pointed out that Hong Kong violated the international covenant on human rights.

Director Song Ting-deng of the Labour Bureau of Kaohsing said he visited Hong Kong recently and found that the CCP's control was already dominant although the economy looked prosperous. Even local media help cover up the CCP's persecution. Within ten years, Hong Kong has been transformed by the CCP. "One country two systems" is just a lie.

Director Song encouraged people not to believe the CCP's lies. He encouraged practitioners, "Let's keep going. History will be on the side of justice."

Hong Kong's forceful deportation of practitioners caused indignant feelings among Taiwanese officials and the public, and received a lot of attention from the international community. Vice President Lu Hsiu-lien had breakfast with Mr. Tom Lantos, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs of the US Congress during her stopover in the US on her trip to South America. She put forward the issue and stated that it violated the human rights of the Taiwanese people. Besides condemning Hong Kong's violence, Taiwan also called on the international community to pay attention to the retreat of Hong Kong's human rights after the transfer of sovereignty. She also called on Hong Kong to improve in the area of human rights.

In addition, the German human rights organisation, The International Human Rights Association, pointed out that the large scale deportation indicated that Hong Kong is under strict control of the CCP regime and it would be possible that China would deny entry to dissidents and deport them during the Olympic Games in Beijing next year.