Difference between Taiwan and Hong Kong Styles of Traditional Chinese

Chinese language is very versatile and ambiguous for outsiders. Taking traditional Chinese for example, there are Taiwan style and Hong Kong style, then what is the difference?

It is well known to people who know something about the two styles that there is not much difference. Both styles developed on the basis of Mandarin Chinese, except that Taiwan styles have many Japanese contents while Hong Kong style is greatly influenced by English. Why?

History tells us that Taiwan used to be a colony of Japan and Taiwan people was forced to learn Japanese. Therefore, Chinese and Japanese were all compulsory, the former to remember as a nation and the latter a mandatory demand by the Japanese. Though Taiwan was reclaimed later, the great influence of years of Japanese occupation is hard to erase.
Such influence is everywhere covering diet, costume, economy, language and characters. The unchanged appearance of Taiwan hides countless underlying connections with things of yore, which situation is not likely to change at least in the near future.

Firstly, Hong Kong style is influenced by English because it was former colony of UK. That tragic and grey period, to be honest, had indeed brought development opportunities to this once small fishing village. Hong Kong even became one of the Four Little Asian Dragons after World War II, and showcased so powerful a momentum to the astonishment of everyone including the very first immigrants.

Secondly, Different from Hong Kong style, Taiwan style is mostly sourced from Kangxi Dictionary, Complete Library in the Four Branches of Literature, Emperor’s Written Instructions of Qing Dynasty and other sources with many characters, phrases and structures from traditional culture, which are very hard for people who are used to simplified Chinese to understand. Meanwhile, characters of Hong Kong style take many references from Canton characters for there are many Cantonese in Hong Kong for living who brought new blood and customs and language to help form the new Hong Kong culture.

Thirdly, traditional Chinese characters of Hong Kong style have unified writings. However in Taiwan, one character can have many writing forms, confusing sometimes but no big deals. Therefore, no unification has been made in Taiwan.
Fourthly, Taiwan pronunciation is familiar to many friends who love watching television, which is almost the same as Mainland China with only Taiwan accents. Hong Kong is different in that it is more like Cantonese, which is hard to understand.

By the time of liberation of China, Hong Kong was still a colony of UK and Taiwan was ruled by Chiang Kai-shek. Therefore when new China adopted new culture and new literalness, Taiwan and Hong Kong still kept traditional Chinese, which arouse the question of which is better, simplified or traditional Chinese, and which is pure, Taiwan style and Hong Kong style.

Everything is changing quietly except the origin as Chinese. In discussing differences, many intend to find connections and similarities. Maybe it is time to understand development of Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. No matter what, they are inseparable parts of China.