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By Chen Yung-chang 陳永昌
The US Department of State late last month issued an “orange” travel advisory for Hong Kong and Macau. According to the latest amendments to the implementation rules for Hong Kong’s National Security Law, police have the authority to require travelers to provide passwords for their mobile phones and laptops. If a visitor were to refuse, it would constitute a criminal offense, and might result in fines or imprisonment.
As early as one year and 10 months ago, Taipei issued the same alert, taking proactive measures. Washington is following suit.
In June 2024, in response to the issuance by Beijing authorities of the 22 Article Guidelines on Imposing Criminal Punishments on Diehard Taiwan Independence Separatists for Conducting or Inciting Secession, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) elevated the travel advisory for China, including Hong Kong and Macau, to “orange,” urging the public to carefully consider whether such travel is necessary.
Within less than a week, China’s new counterespionage law officially came into effect on July 1, 2024, granting authorities the power to check travelers’ electronic devices.
The MAC said that to avoid unreasonable searches, seizures or detentions upon entering China, Hong Kong or Macau, travelers should consider using new electronic devices and mobile phone numbers, or back up data before deleting potentially sensitive files.
At the time, the MAC was criticized by some for “making a big fuss over a minor issue.”
With the weakening of Hong Kong’s power monitoring mechanism and the regression in its press freedom and transparency, whether an issue is “minor” is unilaterally determined by Hong Kong authorities, and whether to make a “big” fuss over it lies entirely in the hands of law enforcement personnel. That high degree of uncertainty and rather vague maneuverability are the greatest sources of risks.
Many Taiwanese consider themselves to be “ordinary people,” naively believing that Chinese national security laws are unrelated to them, thus mistakenly applying Taiwan’s democracy and freedom to Hong Kong while forgetting that it is no longer the place it once was.
Hong Kong police raided independent bookstore Book Punch (一拳書館) not long ago, and arrested the owner and staff on the charge of “knowingly selling seditious publications,” with evidence including the display and sale of a book about Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai (黎智英).
Such modern literary persecution with blurred boundaries has left everyone in fear.
According to the US travel advisory, the alert applies to people entering or transiting through Hong Kong. Transits and layovers are particularly worrisome, because people often overlook the risks of brief stays at an airport. They might forget that contact with Hong Kong customs could put them in danger.
The Taiwan-Hong Kong route is the world’s busiest international route — with more than 27,000 round-trip flights per year between Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and Hong Kong International Airport, totaling nearly 6.83 million seats yearly. Hong Kong airport serves more than 200 global destinations, offering great convenience at competitive prices. While the MAC is right to issue warnings, alternative travel options are needed to reduce the incentives to transit via Hong Kong, keeping Taiwanese from walking into China’s trap.
Chen Yung-chang is a freelance writer based in Taipei.
Translated by Eddy Chang
