TAIPEI (Taiwan News) - Critics in Hong Kong and Taiwan slammed Kaohsiung City Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) after he met a Chinese government official in the former British colony Friday.
Han is on a tour of Hong Kong, Macau, and the Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Xiamen, officially to sell farm and fish products from Kaohsiung, but his meetings with Chinese officials have drawn the most attention.
After meeting with Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor (林鄭月娥) over lunch Friday, he also saw Beijing’s top representative in the territory, liaison office director Wang Zhimin (王志民), outside the view of the cameras.
The Mainland Affairs Office immediately demanded an explanation, as Han had not reported beforehand he would talk to Chinese government officials.
Hong Kong democracy activist Nathan Law (羅冠聰) described Han’s meeting as a “kiss of death,” as it revealed China was using its “Sharp Power” to infiltrate Taiwan.
In addition, Hong Kong actor Chapman To (杜汶澤), a supporter of the democracy movement, told Taiwanese media that the situation in the territory would not improve but only worsen, and that people in Taiwan should take a serious look at developments. He added that a vote for the opposition Kuomintang in Taiwan, would mean the island would turn into the next Hong Kong.
On Saturday, Han visited Macau Chief Executive Fernando Chui (崔世安).