Official: Taiwan worried it will be the next Hong Kong

CNN
Date: September 9, 2020
By: James Griffiths, CNN

Hong Kong (CNN)Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen wants to create an alliance to defend "freedom, safety, human rights and democracy" in Asia, as the self-ruled island faces renewed pressure from neighboring China.

Though she did not mention China explicitly in her speech, given at a security forum in Taipei, Tsai left little doubt over who she was referring to, saying Taiwan was at the forefront of "defending democracy from authoritarian aggression."

Tsai's speech came as a Chinese state-backed tabloid reported that foreign officials who visit Taiwan, as well as international companies that do business on the self-ruled island, could face sanctions from Beijing — the latest potential move by China to rein in Taiwan's growing stature worldwide.    [FULL  STORY]