Acting head of city’s Taipei Office departs as visa expires

Following the expiration of his working visa, the acting director of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Macau has left his post and returned home to Taiwan, Taiwanese news agency Focus Taiwan reported.
According to the report, the outgoing acting director, Chen Chia-hung, could not get his visa extended by the Macau government. Currently, the local government requires Taiwanese officials at the Office sign an affidavit that recognizes the “One China Principle,” which the officials have not been authorized by Taipei to sign.
Taipei, meanwhile, has accused the Macau government of levying extra barriers in the interactions between Macau and Taiwan with the affidavit requirement, which is seen by Taipei as not being part of the original consensus on the establishment of the representative offices.
The “One China Principle” stems from China’s insistence that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
As Chen returned home, the TECO in Macau now only has four staff members to keep the facility in operation, reported the news agency while citing the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) of Taiwan.
The MAC further stated that pro-Beijing individuals protesting at TECO Macau reflected an attitude of “disrespect and unfriendliness held by the government and people of Macau towards Taiwan.”
Several days ago, a group of Macau residents held a demonstration at the Office to complain about Taiwan’s alleged interference with Macau and Hong Kong affairs.
Taipei is making contingencies for the future of the TECO Macau.
Macau closed its representative office in Taipei on June 19. AL