‘The Chinese government wants to kill us,’ say Hong Kong women accused of Taiwan vandalism

Two women said to be from Hong Kong have become notorious in Taiwan for allegedly vandalising an apartment and telling local authorities that they are being "hunted" by the Chinese government.

Tsang Lai-wun, 20, and Yau Hiu-tung, 19, made headlines on March 12 after they used fake IDs to enter Taiwan and defaced NT$30,000 (HK$8,000) worth of their former Taipei landlord's property, local media reported.

The pair reportedly filled their 33-square-metre room with rubbish, sanitary pads and bloody underwear, and even stole a 37-inch flat-screen television.

According to Taiwan's Now News, after Tsang and Yau were questioned by Taipei police, news of their arrest went viral and the duo fled to southern Taiwan. They were first reported by a hostel owner in Pingtung county and finally apprehended in a separate hostel in Tainan, Taiwan's oldest city. 

A worker at the Tainan hostel recognised the two women from television, even though Tsang had dyed her hair orange and Yau had dyed hers pink.

The worker said that one of the women had checked into the hostel using the fake name Chen Mei-ling, but "definitely had a Hong Kong accent" which revealed that she was most likely not a native Taiwanese.