《TAIPEI TIMES》 Communication needed, not suppression: presidency

By Su Yung-yao, Lee Hsin-fang and Peng Wan-hsin / Staff reporters

The situation in Hong Kong requires communication, not suppression and arrests, the Presidential Office said yesterday.

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The Presidential Office has been paying close attention to developments in the territory following yesterday’s arrests of leading pro-democracy activists over their participation in ongoing protests, office spokesman Ting Yun-kung （丁允恭） said.

History has proven that people’s desire for freedom and democracy can never be overcome by violence, he added.

Beijing should deliver on its promise to ensure democracy, freedom and human rights in the territory, and the Hong Kong government should obey the law and guarantee its people’s rights, Ting said.

Separately, the Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） praised participants in the protests for their valor in the face of violent suppression and urged authorities to engage in talks with the public.

The Hong Kong government should communicate with members of the public instead of suppressing their voices through arrests and intimidation, DPP Legislator Lee Chun-yi （李俊俋） said, adding that he would continue to support and pay attention to Hong Kongers’ fight for freedom and human rights.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） urged all parties in Hong Kong to choose rational communication over violence.

“We urge all parties in Hong Kong to adhere to the universal value of human rights, despite their difference in opinion, to prevent further dividing society,” KMT deputy spokesman Huang Hsin-hua （黃心華） added.

As Hong Kong is governed by the rule of law, police officers obey the law when conducting crackdowns, arrests and questioning, he added.

Additional reporting by Ann Maxon

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES