TAIPEI (TAIWAN) – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen sent across a positive message to the people of Hong Kong in a Lunar New Year message on Wednesday, telling them that though democracy is not perfect it is the best system that humankind have and they should keep the faith.
Democratic Taiwan has become a safe place for many Hong Kongers who have left the Chinese-run city amid a crackdown on dissent.
Tsai and her government have extended strong support for the protesters, inviting the ire of Beijing, which considers Taiwan its own territory.
In a message a day before Thursday’s Lunar New Year eve, which sets off he most important holiday in the Chinese-speaking world, Tsai expressed gratitude to the “many friends who speak Cantonese” who follow her Facebook page, the language widely spoken in Hong Kong.
She said in Mandarin, before switching to Cantonese to say “happy new year”, “Please believe that although the democratic system is perhaps not perfect, it remains to date the best system for human society. Please keep the faith and don’t give up,”
However, despite wishing a new year to China as well, the latter again expressed her remarks, saying their current tensions were all because of Taiwan.