Taiwan is pandering to Beijing: Falun Gong
Human rights activists and Falun Gong followers in Taiwan have accused the island's authorities of submitting to pressure from the mainland by interfering with freedom of expression.
'The government here should never have succumbed to the pressure from mainland China to interfere in the freedom of expression, religion and assembly in Taiwan,' Chang Ching-hsi, president of Taiwan Falun Gong, said yesterday.
He vowed supporters would continue promoting Falun Gong, which they say is a spiritual movement but which is banned on the mainland as an 'evil cult'.
Local governments on the island are reported to have barred Falun Gong followers from promoting their movement at scenic spots during a recent visit by representatives of 33 mainland travel agencies to survey sites ahead of visits by mainland tourists that begin next month.
Falun Gong practitioners have long set up tables and hoisted banners at tourist attractions in Taiwan to promote their movement.
Taiwan is to allow direct visits by 3,000 tourists per day, a move authorities and the industry say will create 45,000 jobs and bring in NT$60 billion (HK$15.4 billion) a year.
Local governments seeking to alleviate financial problems have widely applauded the island's opening up to direct, as opposed to group, tourism from the mainland.
Dr Chang, who is a professor of economics at National Taiwan University, said mainland authorities' stipulation that tourists be kept away from places where people promote Falun Gong or Tibetan or Taiwanese independence was 'impractical, unreasonable and illegal'.
He said Taiwan was known for its freedoms of expression, religion and assembly. 'This is a precious culture in Taiwan, and it would be a big waste if mainland tourists are not able to see it.'
Human rights lawyer Chu Wan-chi criticised the Tainan government for trying to stop followers getting close to visiting travel agents.
Tainan city officials said yesterday that they would not force Falun Gong followers to leave tourist sites.
