Taipei-The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Thursday that 189 Taiwanese studying in Hong Kong universities would return home Thursday, as university campuses increasingly become a focal point in the territory's long-running protests.
The students from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the City University of Hong Kong follow 181 others who returned on Wednesday, with the number expected to rise, the MAC said.
At a press conference on Thursday, MAC Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (???) said the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Hong Kong has been in contact with Taiwanese student associations at each of the city's universities, and is dispatching personnel and transportation to assist students seeking to return to Taiwan.
Chiu also advised Taiwanese travelers to Hong Kong to register for status updates on the MAC website, which improves TECO's ability to provide prompt citizen services.
In response to a question regarding a potential travel advisory or evacuation of citizens, Chiu said the government is closely monitoring the situation and will follow internationally-accepted standards for determining whether to issue a travel advisory.
There are an estimated 5,000 Taiwanese students, workers and other non-permanent residents in Hong Kong who could require assistance from Taiwan's government if the situation there deteriorates.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel