Lam Wing-kee, owner of Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay Books who fled to Taiwan last year, urged Hong Kong people to leave the city as soon as possible as staying behind is not the only way to resist. “It will only get worse,” said Lam, who worries the regime will find excuses to restrict exit.

Lam, who was among the five booksellers abducted by and detained in China in 2015 for selling materials critical of Beijing’s political elite, moved to Taipei in April last year, where he set up a new bookshop this year.

Lam expressed strong concerns about the current situation in Hong Kong. “You do not see a future in Hong Kong. If you protest, you will be charged. Even if you say a word or two, you can potentially violate the law,” said Lam, citing the prosecution of Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai under the national security law.

“If you will be charged anytime, why stay?” he asked, believing that staying alive overseas is a smarter and more concrete way of resistance.

If Hong Kong people in exile pose a threat to the regime, it may consider restricting exit just as mainland Chinese authorities tightly control its borders and limit citizens’ rights to leave the country, he added. “To protect your personal safety in order to resist in the long term, Hong Kong people should consider [leaving],” he appealed.

Though the Taiwanese government has expressed willingness to assist fleeing Hongkongers, its actions fall short of its pledge, said Lam. The administration has stepped up the requirements for immigration by investment. Applicants are required to open a brick-and-mortar shop where they should operate for more than three years and hire at least two local employees.

The new policies put more pressure on Hongkongers who are seeking to immigrate through the program. “Besides paying the minimum salary, employers need to provide benefits that further add to the operation cost, even though a couple can operate a shop on their own,” Lam continued.

“On the one hand, the Taiwanese government said they are helping Hong Kong people, on the other, they are applying stricter thresholds.”

The Overseas Chinese and Foreign Investment Commission said the new policy is to block people who are not sincere about investing in Taiwan. It added that applications from Hong Kong have skyrocketed despite the new requirements and, as of October, 1,047 cases have been approved this year.

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