By Matthew Strong
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) â The number of Hongkongers receiving residency permits in Taiwan doubled during the first half of 2020 compared to the same period last year, reports said Saturday (Aug. 15).
Observers ascribe the marked rise to the unrest in Hong Kong, with China and the local government of the Special Administrative Region cracking down on dissent, leading to questions about the future of the rule of law in the territory.
From May to June 2020, a total of 3,161 people from Hong Kong received residency permits for Taiwan, up 116 percent from the 1,464 registered during the first half of 2019, CNA reported.
Looking at full years, the number jumped from 4,148 in 2018 to 5,858 last year, a surge explained by the massive protests against an extradition law which was later abandoned, though it was replaced by a national security act effective July 1 this year.
The most popular ways for Hongkongers to obtain residency in Taiwan were through family links, professional background and business investment, according to the CNA report.