Hong Kong closes Taiwan office in latest sign of worsening ties
- The Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office in Taipei was opened in late 2011 with an eye towards facilitating cross-strait business and cultural exchanges
- The closure follows claims last week Hong Kong had refused to renew work permits for staff at the self-ruled island’s own de facto consulate in the financial hub
While the Hong Kong government stressed the move was unrelated to the island’s escalating Covid-19 crisis, experts familiar with the relationship between the two sides described the abrupt closure on Tuesday as politically motivated.
The Macau government could follow suit by closing its own office on the island, said Hsiao Tu-huan, a researcher at the Centre for Cross-Strait Relations at Tamkang University.
Sources told the Post the decision to close the Hong Kong Economic, Trade and Cultural Office (Taiwan) with immediate effect was made in the early hours of Tuesday by the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau, which is in charge of the relationship between the city and the self-ruled island.
An official announcement that the office in Taipei had “temporarily suspended operations” was released shortly after the Post published its report.
“During the temporary suspension of [office] operations, the government ... will continue to handle general enquiries and requests for assistance made by Hong Kong residents in Taiwan,” the statement read, noting information would still be available via the government’s website and a hotline.
