TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Lawmakers launched the “Taiwan Parliament Group for Hong Kong” on Friday (March 29) to keep an eye on developments in the territory.

A far-reaching new package of security laws known as Article 23 came into effect on March 23. As a result, Taiwan’s government cautioned citizens to be careful about visiting Hong Kong.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Jie (黃捷), the first chair of the new group, said she hoped the public would see Hong Kong’s fate as a warning and strengthen the country’s democratic system. Her DPP colleague Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) was chosen as her deputy, per CNA.

He called on the Cabinet’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) to prepare for future developments and to keep helping Hong Kong citizens. In the face of China’s authoritarian actions, the people of Taiwan and Hong Kong needed to stand together, he said.