<span style="color: #222222;">The long-drawn protests that have paralyzed Hong Kong for nearly six months are pushing residents to seek new lives abroad, with many turning to nearby democratic Taiwan to escape the uncertainty at home.<br />''<br />'' Taiwan has long attracted Hong Kongers seeking an alternative to their city's frenetic pace and sky-high rents.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">But the number granted short-term and permanent residency in Taiwan rose nearly 30 per cent to over 4,000 between January and September from a year earlier, with investment from Hong Kong almost doubling. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Beijing sees the self-ruled island as part of its territory and has vowed to seize it, by force if necessary, even though the two have been governed separately for the past seven decades.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Hong Kong President Tsai Ing-wen, who took office in 2016, refuses to acknowledge that the island is part of one China and has repeatedly voiced support for Hong Kong's pro-democracy protesters.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In response, Beijing has ramped up economic and military pressure on Taiwan and poached many of the island's few remaining diplomatic allies.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">President Tsai faces elections in January against an opponent who favours much warmer ties with Beijing and has called the upcoming vote a fight for freedom and democracy.</span><br />''  <br />