Taiwan-Hong Kong Mutual Consulate Closures... Is Diplomatic Severance Imminent?

Clash Between Two Countries Over the 'One China' Principle
Most Staff Withdrawn from Hong Kong and Taiwan Missions

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Taiwan and Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China, have effectively entered the process of severing diplomatic ties. Due to conflicts between the Taiwan and Hong Kong governments over the 'One China' principle, the diplomatic missions of both sides have been closed.

According to Taiwan's United Daily News on the 21st, seven staff members of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong withdrew to Taiwan as their residence visas expired.

These officials, belonging to Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Education, and Immigration Department, had been working at the Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong, which functions as Taiwan's de facto diplomatic mission.

The reason for their withdrawal was their refusal to sign the 'One China pledge' demanded by the Hong Kong government as a condition for extending their stay.

The One China principle means adhering to the '1992 Consensus' (an agreement made in 1992 to recognize 'One China' while allowing each side to use its own name).

Since taking office in 2016, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has been anti-China and has not publicly supported this One China principle.

In response, China has viewed President Tsai's stance as an attempt to effectively nullify the 1992 Consensus, which provides the logical basis for the claim that Taiwan is part of China, and has exerted strong pressure on Taiwan.

Ultimately, conflicts over the 'One China pledge' between the Hong Kong and Taiwan governments have escalated to the closure of their respective diplomatic missions.

With the withdrawal of seven staff members the day before, only one official remains at the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong. If this person, whose residence visa expires next month, also withdraws, the office, which opened in 2011, will cease operations after 10 years.

The de facto diplomatic mission that Hong Kong had in Taiwan has already closed earlier.

On the 18th of last month, the Hong Kong government unilaterally declared the 'temporary suspension' of the Economic, Trade and Cultural Office in Taiwan and withdrew all personnel.

The Hong Kong government, which closed its mission, claimed that Taiwan interfered in Hong Kong's internal affairs by supporting the 'violent protests' that occurred in Hong Kong. The 'violent protests' refer to the large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations that took place in Hong Kong two years ago.

Taiwan's Central News Agency evaluated, "Hong Kong was a third zone where both sides unofficially interacted even during periods when there was no official interaction between the authorities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait," and added, "Relations between Taiwan and Hong Kong are becoming increasingly cold."

Meanwhile, Macau, another Special Administrative Region of China, also declared on the 19th that it would 'temporarily suspend' the operation of its Taiwan office, entering the process of severing ties with Taiwan similar to Hong Kong.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.