Activists in Hong Kong worry they will be targeted after China imposes the Hong Kong national security law this month and it is reported that over two hundred of them have entered Taiwan by being stowaways on boats over the past year. The report said the human smuggling price is now NT$3.81 million.
According to a Hong Kong media report, human smugglers are charging anti-extradition protestors NT$3.81 million to smuggle them to Taiwan. The report says at least 200 Hong Kong citizens have entered Taiwan this way in the past year.
There is no way to make an estimate, because the number of people in this situation will only keep rising. I have heard of this happening in the past, but I don't have any concrete numbers since these are illegal operations.
The human smuggling boats pick up passengers at Sai Kung, Aberdeen and Shau Kei Wan. Would-be passengers negotiate their price on site and then are given fake fishermen identities. Once they are in international waters, they are picked up by a shuttle boat that takes them to various ports in Taiwan. The trip takes 18 to 36 hours depending on the kind of boat. Most of the people arriving in Taiwan this way had their travel documents seized for participating in anti-extradition protests and therefore have to rely on human smuggling outfits to get out of Hong Kong.
If you take part in any anti-extradition event and (the authorities) decide to investigate you, or if (you) are released on bail, (your) travel documents will most likely be confiscated or you will be restricted from leaving Hong Kong. The Mainland Affairs Council has not told us how to handle these cases -- of how we should handle cases involving individuals that entered Taiwan illegally.
Former Basic Law Committee Vice Chair Elsie Leung says the Hong Kong national security act will be promulgated at the end of June and the "Free Hong Kong, Revolution Now" slogan used by protestors reflects a split nation as well as subversion of the regime. She says if Beijing doesn't take action, Hong Kong will turn into another Taiwan.
These actions are aimed at splitting the nation and subverting the regime. If (Beijing) doesn't take action, (Hong Kong) would become just like Taiwan.
Hong Kong Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng also says advocating Hong Kong independence is an act of secession and a new agency is being formed to oversee crimes against national security.