Taiwan on Friday said its top representative to Hong Kong has returned home due to "unnecessary political obstacles", with local media reporting he refused to sign a pro-Beijing statement.

China has been angered by Taiwan's support for the city's pro-democracy protests and the government's decision to open an office to help Hong Kongers who want to relocate to the island.

Beijing's new national security law, imposed on Hong Kong late last month, has further strained ties, ordering Taiwanese political organisation to declare staff and assets.

Kao Ming-tsun, acting director of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, "was forced to return to Taiwan because the Hong Kong side violated the consensus and set up unnecessary political obstacles", said Chiu Chui-cheng, spokesman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), Taiwan's top China policy body.

Chiu declined to elaborate on what the obstacles were.

Taiwan's Up Media news said Kao refused to sign a statement supporting Beijing's view that Taiwan is part of "one China" when he was renewing his work visa.

A source in Taipei with knowledge of Kao's decision told AFP he did refuse to sign the statement presented by the Hong Kong authorities.

Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen rejects the idea of "one China" and views the democratic, self-ruled island as de facto independent nation.

That stance infuriates Beijing which regards Taiwan as its territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.

It has ramped up economic, diplomatic and military pressure since Tsai's 2016 election.

Relations between Taiwan and semi-autonomous Hong Kong have also rapidly deteriorated.

The office handling unofficial ties has already been devoid of a chief since mid-2018 with Hong Kong yet to issue a visa. Taipei officials routinely avoid travelling there.

Under the new national security law, Beijing says it can prosecute national security crimes committed overseas, including by foreigners.

That has sparked concerns Taiwanese nationals and other foreigners who are critical of Beijing could be arrested travelling to or transiting through Hong Kong.

On Thursday, Taiwan warned China could use the new security law for "hostage diplomacy" and urged democratic countries to unite against Beijing's "autocratic" expansion.

Taiwan fears China 'hostage diplomacy' through HK security law
Taipei (AFP) July 16, 2020 - Taiwan on Thursday warned China could use the sweeping national security law it imposed on Hong Kong for "hostage diplomacy", urging democratic countries to unite against Beijing's "autocratic" expansion.

The Hong Kong security law has rattled nearby self-ruled Taiwan, which China regards as its own territory and has vowed to one day seize, by force if necessary.

A provision within the law claims global jurisdiction and allows China to prosecute especially serious cases instead of semi-autonomous Hong Kong's independent judiciary.

The law would enable Beijing to carry out "hostage diplomacy", Chen Ming-tong, head of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), Taiwan's top China policy body, told reporters.

"The national security law for Hong Kong has seriously invaded democracy and human rights to impact regional security and unnerve the international community."

The law says national security offences can be prosecuted even if they take place outside Hong Kong or China and are committed by foreigners.

That has raised fears that Beijing critics could face prosecution and extradition to China if they travel to or transit through Hong Kong.

Chen urged democratic countries to "stand united in order to effectively counter China's expansion in an autocratic nature".

Canada accused China of "hostage diplomacy" after two of its citizens were detained soon after Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver on a US extradition request.

The two men have since been hit with spy charges.

Taiwan's government now fears something similar could happen with the Hong Kong law.

Beijing has taken an especially hardline towards Taiwan ever since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen because she regards the island as a de facto sovereign nation and not part of "one China".

Taiwanese critics of Beijing have been increasingly turned away by Hong Kong authorities in recent years.

Tsai, who has been critical of Beijing's clampdown against Hong Kong protesters, has warned of "countermeasures" should the new security law cause any "damage" to Taiwan.

Taipei has a trade and cultural office in Hong Kong handling unofficial ties.

But it has been devoid of a chief since mid-2018 as Hong Kong has yet to issue a visa amid worsening ties between Taipei and Beijing, as well as Taiwan's support for the city's pro-democracy movement.

Over the years, China has used national security laws to prosecute Taiwanese nationals on the mainland.

Related Links
Taiwan News at SinoDaily.com

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'We're next': Hong Kong security law sends chills through Taiwan
Taipei (AFP) July 7, 2020
The imposition of a sweeping national security law on Hong Kong has sent chills through Taiwan, deepening fears that Beijing will focus next on seizing the democratic self-ruled island. China and Taiwan split in 1949 after nationalist forces lost a civil war to Mao Zedong's communists, fleeing to the island which Beijing has since vowed to seize one day, by force if necessary. "The law makes me dislike China even more," 18-year-old student Sylvia Chang told AFP, walking through National Taiwan U ... read more