As Beijing continues to tighten its grip upon the former British colony of Hong Kong, more and more Hongkongers are abandoning “one country, two systems” and immigrating to Taiwan.
A total of 400 people immigrated from Hong Kong to Taiwan between January and April of this year, a 40 percent jump when compared with the same period from last year.
Immigration wave
Reasons that people gave for leaving Hong Kong include the high cost of living, unreasonable property prices, and stress, along with social unrest and the city’s ever-darkening political atmosphere.
In 2014, there was a total of just 697 people who left Hong Kong for Taiwan. However, that number has now been over 1,200 for the past three years and it’s likely to be even higher this year.
The 400 Hongkongers who immigrated to Taiwan before May of this year did so before anti-extradition protests really kicked off in the city with millions of people hitting the streets, voicing their concerns over a bill which would allow suspects to be taken to mainland China for trial.
Why Taiwan?
In a survey conducted earlier this year by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Taiwan was the third most popular potential immigration destination for Hongkongers.
With a similar culture and the use of traditional Chinese characters, it’s easy to see the appeal of the nearby island for those who grew up in Hong Kong.
Taiwan also comes with the benefits of a lower cost of living, a higher happiness index rating, and a vibrant multi-party democracy with leaders who are not elected by a committee of pro-China elites.
