Hong Kongers in Taiwan firmly support the ruling party after watching China erode freedoms at home

HONG KONG (AP) — As Taiwan’s presidential election approaches, many immigrants from Hong Kong, witnesses to the alarming erosion of civil liberties at home, are supporting the governing Democratic Progressive Party.

Beijing’s crackdown on dissent in the financial hub has cemented their preference for a party committed to preserving Taiwan’s de facto independence and democratic values ahead of Saturday’s vote.

While Taiwanese immigration policies have been less welcoming than some from Hong Kong anticipated, most remain steadfast in their support for the DPP, largely due to the party’s firm stance on autonomy from Beijing, according to interviews with 10 Hong Kongers, over half of whom moved to Taiwan after 2019 anti-government protests.

In Taiwan, citizenship is required to be eligible to vote in a presidential election. Foreigners would need to live in Taiwan for at least five consecutive years to gain citizenship. That requirement drops to three years if they are married to a Taiwanese citizen.

Many Hong Kong people choose to use migration strategies that can fast-track the process and allow for citizenship eligibility within a shorter time frame, including through programs for investors and graduates of Taiwanese universities.

Hong Tsun-ming, a protester who feared arrest and moved to Taiwan in 2019, said he looks forward to having a taste of deciding its fate. The election is a cherished voting opportunity he never had in Hong Kong, where the chief executive is picked by a predominantly pro-Beijing committee. He plans to support the DPP.

Hong has thrown himself into local politics, committed to sharing lessons from Hong Kong.

“It’s to remind Taiwan not to follow the old path of Hong Kong,” said Hong, member of the