NEW LIFE

Chow Chung-ming, a former computer programmer in Hong Kong, speaks during an interview at his coffee shop in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan. of the costs associated with other popular for greater freedoms in the city. immigration destinations such as Australia, Beijing officially espouses a so- called Canada and the United States. “one country, two systems” policy on

The 41-year- old moved to Kaohsiung Hong Kong, allowing the city greater attracted partly by lower rents, which freedoms and rule of law, but protesters have helped him realize a childhood argue that has been gradually eroded. dream of opening a cat cafe this July, A 50-year guarantee of that status but also the island’s relative freedoms. will expire in 2047, with many Hong

“In Taiwan, freedom of speech is in Kongers convinced their freedoms will the present tense. People can elect the keep shrinking until the city is fully president and lawmakers — rights that absorbed into the mainland. Hong Kongers don’t have and I don’t see “I think the tightening on freedom any chance of ever having,” he said. will continue in Hong Kong until it’s ‘one

Protests in Hong Kong erupted in country, one system’,” Chow said. response to proposed legislation that The current departure of Hong would have allowed extraditions to the Kongers abroad is described by some mainland, but have snowballed into demands as a “third wave”, after many residents went overseas ahead of the 1997 British handover and, in smaller numbers, after the 2014 failure of the pro- democracy “Umbrella Movement.”

Businesswoman Suki Lui has regularly participated in pro- democracy protests, but she now plans to relocate to Taiwan, hoping to give her two-year- old daughter a better future.

“My emotions have gone through so many ups and downs and I feel I have endured more emotion than I can handle,” the 37-year- old said.

“I hope she can get a better education, can enjoy freedom, can realise her dreams in the future... I hope she can choose and live in a city with hope.”