Joshua Wong Visits Taiwan to Meet With Ruling Party

By Samson Ellis

Joshua Wong arrives in Taipei on Sept. 3. 

Leading Hong Kong pro-democracy activists including Joshua Wong arrived in Taiwan for a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen’s ruling party, just days after Taipei denied playing a role in Hong Kong’s unrest.
Wong was scheduled to meet with Democratic Progressive Party Chairman Cho Jung-tai on Tuesday, as well as representatives of the pro-independence New Power Party, before giving a talk in the evening. 

The 22-year-old Demosisto party secretary general was accompanied by Hong Kong lawmaker Eddie Chu and former student leader Lester Shum.
Wong -- the subject of a Netflix documentary titled “Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower” -- said in a Facebook post he was in Taiwan to arrange what he called a “large-scale gathering” to show support for Hong Kong. 

“A large display of support for Hong Kong by the Taiwanese public, showing the Chinese Communist Party the unity between the peoples of Taiwan and Hong Kong, would give us a huge amount of strength,” Wong said.
Tsai, whose DPP supports independence, has stepped up her criticism of Beijing as the Hong Kong protests fuel new skepticism about unification with China. 

Her critiques have led Chinese officials to list Taiwan, along with the U.S. and the U.K., among the “black hands” it says are behind almost three months of historic protests.
Wong was among several Hong Kong activists arrested last week in a crackdown on protest leaders condemned by Tsai. 

Earlier Tuesday, Wong said another Demosisto leader, Ivan Lam, was detained by authorities at Hong Kong’s airport. 

Wong was released on bail shortly after his arrest.

Two Chinas Policy

Taiwan tells Beijing to grow up over President Trump inauguration row
AFP
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen speaks on the phone with U.S. president Donald Trump at her office in Taipei, Taiwan, in this handout photo made available December 3, 2016. 

China should not be so “narrow-minded”, Taiwan said Thursday, after Beijing pressed Washington to block the island from attending Donald Trump’s inauguration.
A former premier will lead Taipei’s delegation as foreign dignitaries from around the world descend on the US capital for the president’s swearing in.
But Beijing has asked the US to bar the self-ruling island it sees as a renegade province and part of “one China” to be reunified.
Former premier Yu Shyi-kun, who is leading Taiwan’s delegation hit back.
“Don’t be so small,” Yu, who belongs to the ruling Beijing-sceptic Democratic Progressive Party, was quoted as saying by Taiwan’s state Central News Agency.
“There hasn’t been any leader with such a narrow mind in all Chinese dynasties,” added Yu, referring to Xi Jinping.
Since Trump was elected in November, there have been a series of diplomatic upsets, with China incensed by a protocol-smashing phone call between President Trump and Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen.
It was further angered by Trump’s suggestion that the “one China” policy could be negotiable and demanded Washington ban Taipei from the inauguration.
A Taiwanese delegation has attended in previous years, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, but never includes the island’s president.
Washington remains Taiwan’s most powerful ally and arms supplier even though it switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.
Chiu Chui-cheng, spokesman of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council which handles China affairs, called Beijing’s rhetoric “unhelpful for the normal development” of relations.
“There is no need for China to restrict or suppress Taiwan’s regular interactions and exchanges with the US”, he said.
Taiwan’s delegation also includes some legislators including pro-independence rocker-turned-politician Freddy Lim of the New Power Party, which is calling for Taiwan to be recognised internationally as a country.
Ties with China have turned increasingly frosty since Tsai took office last year, with Beijing cutting off official communication with her government.
Beijing has recently stepped up military drills — its only aircraft carrier sailed through the Taiwan Strait last week, and military aircraft passed near Taiwan twice late last year in what was seen as a show of strength.