Taiwan Church News

3850 Edition

8 ~ 14 December, 2025

Weekly Topical

Mourning Wang-Fuk Court Fire, Civil Groups Urge HK Authorities to Scrape Unjust Laws and Speak Out Truth

Reported by Chiu Kuo-rong and Lin Wan-ting

The fire in Wang-Fuk Court, Tai Po District, Hong Kong, killed at least 159 people and made thousands of residents homeless. After the disaster, it was reported that Hong Kong government, in the name of “national security”, suppressed the call for investigation, accountability and bureaucratic reform and condemned these public concerns as “Wreak Havoc on Hong Kong in the name of inferno”. Calling all walks of life in Taiwan continue to care the development of Hong Kong fire accident, civil groups held prayer meetings and memorial services in Taipei and Tainan respectively on December 7.

Civil groups from both Hong Kong and Taiwan jointly held a press conference, named “Protesting HK Government’s Suppression of Truth by Evil National Security Law”in front of Chi-Nan Church of Chi-Hsin Presbytery on December 7. They strongly criticized Hong Kong government for not only concealed the truth of inferno, but also applied National Security Law to intimidate HK citizens and violated human rights to cause a chilling effect among HK people.

Mr Fu Tang, convener of the assembly, indicated that Hong Kong government’s brutal clamp down of angry protests under national security law had trespassed international human rights law. He called on Hong Kong government to stop suppression, so that the truth of the inferno can be recovered. He strongly condemned Hong Kong government’s threats to the people and abuses of security law.

The press conference delivered a statement of five requests, including a proper rehabilitation of affected fire-inflicted residents; reform of HK public safety system; a comprehensive investigation into the fraud allegations of related parties; a prosecution of officials with dereliction of duty; stop the abuse of National Security Law (specially applied to Hong Kong) to censor and surpress HK citizens. The assembly urged Hong Kong government to face the problems due to bureaucratic misconduct and respect basic freedoms of the HK citizens.

Mr Eric Poon, chairman of Taiwan Hong Kong Association, pointed out “the fire exposes the systematic failure of Hong Kong bureaucratic system, from the flammable scaffolding nets, fire-fighting equipments to the deteriorating quality of the maintenance fence and the fire-fighting project.”

“Who should be responsible for the inferno is so clear, but the culprit just won’t admit,” he lamented, “it’s incredible that Hong Kong government’s first priority after the fire is to arrest those citizens who pursue the truth.” He described the fire tragedy in a poem: “Fire burns the people / HK regime arrests dissidents / Better stop people’s criticism / Than quench the flames ”

Dr Hsu Cheng-en, a board member of Hong Kong Fellowship of Chi-Nan Church and a scholar with Hong Kong descent, said that the fire was a disaster “100% man made”. He criticised that when the affected Wang-Fuk Court households were still in panic, HK government arrested those who jointly signed a request for investigation, threatened the volunteers, and kept calling HK people in sorrow to turn out in a hypocrite and empty legislative election.

Mr Sky Fung, secretary of Hong Kong Outlanders, pointed out “Hong Kong government regards citizens’ questions about the fire as a threat to national security, and this is a symbol before the collapse of governance.”“True national security shall not be afraid of any voice from the people,” he said, “Now free speech is nowhere to find in Hong Kong, so Hong Kong compatriots and communities around the world shall stand up to speak out!”

After the press conference, a prayer meeting was held in the chapel of Chi-Nan Church. The participants sang hymns and set up a Lennon Wall expressing mourning and solidarity. Rev Huang Chun-sheng, pastor of Chi-Nan Church, said “to cry out loud to God for Hong Kong people, the church bell was intentionally striken 39 times in the memorial service, reminiscent of 39 lashes suffered by Jesus before his crucifixion.”

“Since Hong Kong people cannot publicly post condolence to their deceased compatriots now, notes of post-it on Taiwan’s Lennon Wall will be scanned and sent to Hong Kong as a sincere condolence from the Taiwanese: not only to mourn the fire victims, but also symbolize Hong Kong people’s wish for accountability and justice.”

Hong Kong Action Archives (HKAA), Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR), Amnesty International (AI), Tainan Sprout, Tainan Community University and many other organizations also held a memorial event outside National Museum of Taiwan Literature at Tainan City on December 7.

A Lennon Wall was set up at site with electronic candles and black ribbons for the public to pay tributes in silence to victims, survivors and HK people amid the inferno of Wang-Fuk Court. In the meantime, urgent concerns of safety loopholes, regulatory failures, suspect frauds, government suppression and other problems behind the HK fire were showcased in pictures and texts.

Ms Liu Zhe-ning, spokeswoman for HKAA, pointed out “to deal with the fire accident, though Mr John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, announced to establish an independent committee, but obviously he does not followtheCommissions of Inquiry Ordinance. Andit is doubtful whether the truth can be found or investigated.”

“The task of HKAA is to preserve historical records of contemporary social movement,”she stressed, “although it faces various kinds of suppression, as long as social events are constantly memorized, exchanged and written, the truth still has a chance to pop up and prevail!”

Ms Chiu Yi-ling, secretary of AI Taiwan, attended the memorial event and read a statement on behalf of Mr Chang Chao-hsiong, spokesman for AI Hong Kong Overseas. Ms Yang Zih-ting, director of Southern Taiwan Office of TAHR, and Mr Jiang Bing-lun, deputy secretary of Tainan Sprout, jointed encouraged the audience doing more works to protect human rights and freedoms, especially in the era full of difficulties and challenges.

Ms Chiu Yi-ling called Hong Kong authorities to keep its administration transparent and bring more hope through open dialogue with HK society, instead of forcing the people retreating back into silence. Ms Yang Zih-ting indicated “HK people are absolutely qualified to monitor any follow-up investigations and explanations, and Hong Kong government shall not suppress their rights of assembly, parade and free speech.” To break ice and build more mutual trust between Hong Kong and Taiwan, Mr Jiang Bing-lun thought “it’s better to build more connections and encourage people to learn more about each other in a near future.”

Translated by Peter Wolfe