ROC Citizens Living in Hong Kong Discuss the Elections|近2萬台灣人居香港 對選戰觀感深刻

More and more people are paying attention to politics due to the anti-extradition protests in Hong Kong. Currently, there are close to 20,000 ROC citizens living in Hong Kong. Let's take a look at how ROC citizens in Hong Kong view the Hong Kong elections, which could be historic.


After graduating from high school in Taiwan, Mr. Hsieh moved to Hong Kong for college and has been living there for almost a decade. Hsieh, who works in the finance industry, has permanent residency in Hong Kong and became a registered voter this year. On Nov. 24, he exercised his right to vote.

It's very exciting to be voting (in Hong Kong) for the first time. I've lived in Hong Kong for many years and it's become home, so I am fulfilling my civic obligations.

Ms. Su, who is originally from Kaohsiung, has been working in Hong Kong as a teacher for well over a decade. She is also a registered voter, but says Hong Kong's electoral system doesn't adequately reflect public sentiment.

I don't think my vote really matters, because it's not a vote for me. It's a vote for a candidate. Whoever is elected won't be doing whatever I want.

ROC nationals living in Hong Kong have a unique perspective on how the Hong Kong government has performed and how Hong Kong citizens have changed in the past six months.

As students, we used to say "It's none of our business." Nowadays, people in Hong Kong are realizing the importance of caring about political and social developments like this.

It makes you anxious because this government is incapable and has no idea what it's doing. All they can do is forcibly oppress young people. It truly makes me very sad.

Despite the social instability, neither Hsieh nor Su have thought about leaving. For Hong Kong citizens, the future is uncertain and they hope their vote can mean something.



高中畢業就到香港就讀大學的謝先生，大學畢業後留在香港的金融業工作，定居香港9年多，取得永久居民證後，今年他也登記成為選民，一早就趕到投票所，要投下他在香港的頭一票。

旅港台灣人 謝先生表示：「新鮮而且很刺激，因為是第一次(在香港)投票，我在香港也好多年了，對這地方也有感情了，所以可以盡一分公民義務。」

另一位來自台灣高雄，在香港教了十多年書的蘇老師，雖然也有登記選民的資格，但她並不認為，香港的選舉制度可以充分表達民意。

旅港台灣人 蘇老師表示：「我去投票沒有達到很大的效果，因為畢竟不是我個人投的票，而是投給選票的代表人，也不是能真正能達到我自己的想法。」

經歷這半年來的香港反送中運動，香港政府的表現，還有香港人的改變，在港台人感觸頗深。

旅港台灣人 謝先生表示：「之前同學間最出名的就是"不關我的事"，但我看到香港人愈來愈覺得，關心政治社會這件事，愈來愈重要。」

旅港台灣人 蘇老師表示：「人心惶惶，因為這個政府是沒有能力，沒有辦法處理現在目前的狀況，很強制的壓迫年輕人，所以我看了事實上是很難過的。」

雖然當前的香港社會動盪不安，但謝先生和蘇老師暫時沒有離開的念頭，但對於在地港人來說，反送中運動僵局難解，手中的這一票不能不投，而面對充滿未知的明天，他們無力又無奈。