Taiwan elections ‘unlikely to affect Hong Kong-mainland relations’
Observers say Beijing will though be interested in links between activists in Hong Kong and Taiwan
The landslide victory of independence-leaning Tsai Ing-wen is unlikely to affect Beijing’s policy towards Hong Kong, but Beijing could be more closely watching young activists in the city who have close ties with the new political forces emerging from the election, observers have said.
Taiwan’s presidential election has drawn keen interest from Hong Kong’s pan-democratic camp, which has sent more than 50 party politicians and about 100 students and activists in different delegations to observe the polls.
They have visited election headquarters of the Taiwanese parties, met their think tanks and attended supporters’ rallies.
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Tsai and her Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) scored a landslide victory in elections on Saturday, with the country’s first female president promising a “new era” in Taiwan.
The elections also attracted commentators including Dr Camoes Tam Chi-keung, who says that while the election result is unlikely to change Beijing’s policy towards Hong Kong, the Communist Party could be concerned by the rise of new political forces which are close to Hong Kong activists.
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“I understand from my mainland contacts that mainland officials are curious about what these Hong Kong young people are doing in Taiwan,” Tam, a veteran journalist and commentator on cross-straits relations, said yesterday.