Taiwan Says It Will Continue To Support HK People

Taiwan's Presidential Office said on Saturday that it will closely monitor developments in Hong Kong after the suspension of the SAR government's extradition bill, saying it will continue to support Hong Kong people in their fight for democracy, freedoms and rights.

The office's spokesman, Ernesto Ting, said it was regrettable that the SAR government had not taken Hong Kong people's aspirations seriously, adding that it was "irresponsible and unethical" for the administration to push the controversial bill forward using a Taiwan murder last year as an excuse.

Meanwhile, the island's Mainland Affairs Council said the Hong Kong government should now work with Taipei to come up with a fair and reasonable extradition mechanism acceptable to both sides.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam had warned during a press briefing on Saturday that the suspension of the extradition bill means the SAR government cannot organise the surrender of a Hong Kong man wanted in Taiwan for the murder of his girlfriend.

But Taiwan officials, including President Tsai Ing-wen, had already stated repeatedly that they would not agree to the transfer of the suspect under the proposed new legislation, saying the laws would trample on human rights and threaten the safety of Taiwanese people.