Taipei, Dec. 13 (CNA) Taiwan's representative office in Hong Kong will move to a new location next week because of its smaller workforce, which has resulted from Beijing's growing intervention in the former British colony.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Hong Kong, which is currently located at the Lippo Centre in the Admiralty area, will open for business in Central Plaza in Wan Chai starting Dec. 20, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC), which oversees the office, said Monday.
The TECO office in Hong Kong is currently staffed only by local employees hired on a contract basis because all Taiwanese officials who previously worked at the office were forced to leave Hong Kong after their work visas expired.
The last Taiwanese official there returned to Taiwan in late July.
They had no choice but to leave the territory after refusing to sign a "one-China" affidavit, a condition imposed by Hong Kong authorities in exchange for visa renewals or new visas for replacement officials.
The "one-China" affidavit requirement, which would commit Taiwanese officials to agreeing that Taiwan is a part of China, reflects the growing stranglehold that Beijing has on Hong Kong.
Despite the lack of Taiwanese posted in Hong Kong, the MAC said TECO in Hong Kong will continue to offer consular affairs such as changing passports and issuing documents for Taiwanese citizens and issuing visas for foreign applicants.
It will also continue to handle residence applications for Hong Kong people and issuing entry permits to Taiwan for Chinese people in Hong Kong.
