Hong Kong politicians have warned local academics not to take part in the upcoming third Hong Kong Studies academic conference hosted by Academia Sinica in Taipei.

Funded by Taiwan’s authorities, Academia Sinica has organized the When Hong Kong Studies Go Global academic conference annually since 2023. The institution’s current president, James Liao Chun-chih, was appointed by former Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen in 2016.

More than 100 scholars from around the world are expected to attend the event, including about 50 participants from Hong Kong—some of whom are teaching staff from nine local universities.

Among the invited speakers are former protest leader Chan Kin-man, international relations scholar Simon Shen Xuhui, and Francis Lee Lap-fung, Professor of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK).

Several Hong Kong politicians reminded the public that the government maintains a zero-tolerance stance toward acts endangering national security and urged all sectors of society to stay highly vigilant.

They also warned academics to “resolutely refuse” participation in events such as the Academia Sinica conference, which they described as having “anti-China and separatist” tendencies, stressing that scholars should clearly distance themselves from such activities to avoid breaching the law.