TOKYO, Oct. 8, 2019—In 1975, the Vietnam War drew to a conclusion with the evacuation of last flock of Americans and South Vietnamese on choppers from the U.S. embassy in Saigon. While the United States has plunged into a prolonged period of defeatism, something that hardly anyone had imaged began and continued well into the 1990s: Altogether, as many as 800,000 South Vietnamese hit the South China Sea on makeshift boats during that long spam of time reaching neighboring destinations, including Hong Kong, which received 100,000.
Subject to how the 4-months-long Hong Kong protest moves develop, neighboring countries need to prepare for fleeing Hong Kongers that total nearly 7.5 million.
Taiwan is understood to be accepting incoming Hong Kongers on a case-by-case basis. The fresh wave of Hong Kong emigrants to Taiwan began in the 2019 after the start of protests. If the Hong Kong conditions become even more tense, it would have little choice but to admit more Hong Kong people because human rights is at the core of Taiwan’s national policy. Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung visited Taiwan in September asking Taiwan lawmakers for support, including refugee protection, the South China Morning Post reported Sept. 5. Taiwan’s refugee bill, which is believed to be readied for parliamentary debate, would protect foreigners but not mainland Chinese or Hong Kong people.
They are treated for a separate nationality status. Hong Kong people can apply for residency in Taiwan by investing close to US$200,000 and start a business by obtaining a work visa and live in Taiwan for several years, or study at a local university and after graduation work for a salary of no less than $15,000 a month.
Japan’s immigration and refugee laws were amended in 2018 but it basically restricts accepting refugees and remains far more prohibitive than Taiwan.
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