Hong Kong: Democracy Vote Suspended
Posted: October 27, 2014 Filed under: Asia, China, Global, Law & Justice | Tags: Beijing, Carrie Lam, Chinese University of Hong Kong, CY Leung, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chief Executive, Hong Kong Federation of Students, Joshua Wong, Lau Kong-wah, League of Social Democrats, Leung, Mong Kok, Occupy Central, Rimsky Yuen 2 Comments
For WSJ, Isabella Steger reports: Four weeks after volleys of tear gas by police led thousands of protesters to seize control of streets across Hong Kong, the leaders of the pro-democracy movement are struggling to control its disparate groups as fatigue and frustration set in.
[Follow Pundit Planet’s EXCLUSIVE coverage of the Hong Kong protests]
On Sunday, a split among the protest groups led to the abrupt cancellation of a two-day vote on the latest offer by city officials, just hours before it was set to begin. Some protesters criticized the vote saying the groups organizing it didn’t represent them.
‘“In this movement, I’m motivated by myself, not the leadership.”’
—Bonnie Kong, 30
“I admit the [leaders] have made a mistake,” said Alex Chow, secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students. “We look forward to having more discussions with protesters in the three protest sites.”
A pro-democracy protester sits on a barricade at a protest site in the Mongkok district of Hong Kong on October 26, 2014. Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images
He linked hands with other key figures from the three groups leading the protests and bowed in apology. Joshua Wong, the 18-year-old leader of one of the two student groups, asked for protesters’ forgiveness, and all admitted that the decision to hold the vote was hasty and lacked preparation.
“Without [a united front] the protest groups can’t consolidate power and there is no structure for discussions, let alone making decisions.”
— Leung Kwok-hung, chairman of the League of Social Democrats
Bonnie Kong, 30, who works in media sales, said she accepted the leaders’ apology but said they didn’t represent her. “We don’t follow the leadership,” she said. “In this movement, I’m motivated by myself, not the leadership.”
The city’s government, which has refused to meet their demands, is hoping that public opinion turns against the students. Groups of opponents to the protesters, wearing blue ribbons in support of the police, carried out a petition drive and held rallies over the weekend.
“The most resilient aspect of this movement is the unity of the protesters. There is no ‘organizer’ in this movement. Each time the crowds swelled, was it because ‘organizers’ asked people to come out or was it because of something the government did?”
— Keita Lee, 28, a cook, who expects the occupation of Admiralty to last at least until the Lunar New Year in February
On Sunday evening, Carrie Lam, the government official who led the one meeting with students, called for more talks. “Our community expects the government and the student representatives to hold more dialogues in order to as soon as possible get out of the current impasse,” Ms. Lam said in a TV interview.
Pro-democracy leaders (L-R) Benny Tai, Joshua Wong and Alan Leong arrive. Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images
Besides tear gas and pepper spray, the protesters have endured attacks from opponents and efforts by police and others to clear the roads they occupy in three densely populated districts of Hong Kong, including the main protest site surrounding the city government headquarters. Those actions have galvanized the protesters, drawing out large crowds whenever the movement was under attack.
But time is starting to take its toll. Read the rest of this entry »
Hong Kong Readies for Protester Vote
Posted: October 25, 2014 Filed under: Asia, China, Global | Tags: Beijing, CY Leung, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chief Executive, John Tsang, Mong Kok, Mong Kok District, Protest 2 Comments
City Calm Ahead of a Vote Organized by Pro-Democracy Protest Leaders
Crowds grew Saturday at the downtown protest site, as they have during other weekends, though there were no reports of clashes between demonstrators and police as on other recent evenings.
The student-led protesters want anyone to be able to stand for Hong Kong’s first ever public ballot for chief executive in 2017. China’s government in August ruled a selection committee largely loyal to Beijing will select those who can stand, sparking the protests.
People listened to talks between student leaders and senior government officials as they were broadcast live at a protest site in the Mong Kok district of Hong Kong, PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
Some local citizens—who have taken to wearing blue ribbons—are angry that students have shut down parts of the city over the issue. On Saturday night there were reports that some blue ribbon demonstrators had attacked journalists covering their counter protests in Kowloon.
“I agree with the students’ goal. Who doesn’t want a democratic society?”
Radio Television Hong Kong and Television Broadcasts Ltd. issued statements complaining their journalists had been pushed and kicked by blue ribbon protesters. Police haven’t made any arrests.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying reiterated Saturday he won’t resign, saying the protesters’ demands aren’t in accordance with the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution. Read the rest of this entry »
Just Happened: Protesters Successfully Hold off Riot Police in Lung Wo Road with Umbrellas, Barricades
Posted: October 14, 2014 Filed under: Asia, China, Mediasphere | Tags: China, CY Leung, Hong Kong Chief Executive, Hong Kong Police Force, Hongkong, Occupy Central, OccupyCentral, Wilfred Chan 1 Commentjust happened: protesters successfully hold off riot police in Lung Wo Road with umbrellas, barricades #OccupyCentral pic.twitter.com/onIrnuDneS
— Wilfred Chan (@wilfredchan) October 14, 2014
Hong Kong Democracy Protests: Open Letter From Former U.S. Consuls General to Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-yin
Posted: October 4, 2014 Filed under: Asia, Breaking News, China, Law & Justice | Tags: Beijing, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, China, CY Leung, Deng Xiaoping, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chief Executive, Richard Boucher, United States 2 Comments
Three former U.S. consuls general wrote an open letter to Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying. They say the government’s proposal for Hong Kong’s electoral future—in which candidates running for chief executive would be pre-screened by a nominating committee friendly toward Beijing—is in defiance of the city’s Basic Law.
Full text below:
To the Honorable C.Y. Leung
Hong Kong, China
We are writing to you based on decades of inestimable interest and admiration for Hong Kong. We have loved the city, admired its citizens and promoted its vital role for business, culture and commerce for Asia and for China. Over the years, we’ve seen the buildings get taller and the harbour get smaller, and lived the exciting energy of one of the world’s greatest cities. We have seen the benefits of Hong Kong’s free markets, rule of law, civil discourse and people for China and the region. While we are Americans and write to you in our private capacity, we suggest that our views reflect the sentiments of the millions of traders, bankers, lawyers, sales teams, accountants, creative artists, film producers, bartenders and ordinary foreigners who have made Hong Kong their home at one moment or another in their lives.
We ask you, as the one person in your role as Chief Executive who can do so, to move to the forefront of efforts to settle the current dispute peacefully according to the terms of the Basic Law, the foundation of Hong Kong’s governance and status. The Basic Law embodies the ideas of peaceful evolution, self-administration and one country/two systems of Deng Xiaoping. Article 45 of the Basic Law says: “the ultimate aim is the selection of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures.”
The proposal currently on the table –that a committee like the ones who have chosen the Chief Executives so far should continue for an undefined period to choose two or three candidates under the guidance of Beijing—clearly fails to advance Hong Kong’s system toward being more broadly representative or democratic, and in tightening the nominating committee rules would seem actually to retreat from those goals. Read the rest of this entry »
EXCLUSIVE: Hong Kong Democracy Demonstrations — Night 4
Posted: October 1, 2014 Filed under: Asia, Breaking News, China, Dr. Strangelove's Notebook | Tags: Bank of China Tower, China, CY Leung, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chief Executive, Hong Kong people, National Day, Pepper spray 2 CommentsThe leading English language paper in Hong Kong is reporting that “leaders” of the student demonstrators have set a deadline of tomorrow for Hong Kong’s Chief Executive (basically, the governor), C.Y. Leung, to resign. If he doesn’t, they say they’ll start to “occupy” government buildings:
I assume that if this happens, things may well turn ugly again, as they did on the first night when riot police fired tear gas into the crowd and sprayed the students with pepper spray.
But tonight, in the middle of the two-day National Day holiday (ironically, celebrating the 65th anniverary of the founding of the Peoples Republic of China), the crowds at the Central/Admiralty district site swelled and an almost carnival-like atmosphere prevailed:
Hongkongers have donated thousands of umbrellas to the demonstrators. The movement has come to be known as the “Umbrella Revolution,” because the students used umbrellas to protect themselves from pepper spray on the first night.
Pictures of C.Y. Leung taped to the street.
Many of the students have been on site for days.
This young lady was drawing caricatures of her companions.
Although the majority of Hongkongers are Cantonese-speaking Chinese, Hong Kong is a multi-ethnic city and many groups had signs expressing solidarity.
Signs along the blocked freeway’s guardrails in many languages expressed support for the demonstrators.
The iconic Bank of China Tower provides a backdrop to one high spot favored by photographers capturing the throng.
The sea of people jammed into the road in front of the central government offices.
Distribution of supplies continues to improve. Stations like this are common throughout the area.
The pedestrian overpass leading to the central government building is festooned with pro-democracy banners and slogans urging Hongkongers to maintain their resolve.
Volunteers press water bottles and food on people passing along the main walkway through the heart of the demonstration.
Volunteers man a spot set aside for crossing over the concrete barriers on either side of the blocked road.
A sea of lights as the crowd waves their cell phones.
You can just make out the cell phone lights through the crowd.
Many posters used the umbrella motif.
C.Y. Leung is a popular subject of protest art work.
The first aid area I spotted a couple of days ago has grown into a well-manned clinic.
‘Under a Vast Sky’ (海阔天空) The Story Behind the Hong Kong Protests’ Unofficial Anthem
Posted: September 30, 2014 Filed under: Art & Culture, Asia, China | Tags: China, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chief Executive, Lau, Protest, Tokyo, Under a Vast Sky, Wong, WSJ Leave a comment
For Real Time China, Joyu Wang writes: “Under a Vast Sky” (海阔天空), a monster ballad from the early ‘90s by Hong Kong rock band Beyond, has become the unofficial anthem for Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests.
“It means to destroy the old and establish the new. Even if we are disappointed—we shouldn’t be discouraged–because our world will have a better future eventually.”
The 1993 hit has become the rallying cry for protesters angry over a China ruling that limits political reform in Hong Kong. Nikki Lau, a Hong Kong resident who has participated in the protests for the past three days, said protesters have sung the song nearly 10 times each day.
“We need a song that everyone can sing along to,” Ms. Lau said. “[This song] is part of the collective memory of Hong Kong people.”
Watch a clip of the music video with English subtitles:
The song was written by the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist, Wong Ka-kui, to express the singer-songwriter’s disappointment in Hong Kong’s music industry in the 1990s, according to drummer Yip Kwok-ming, who worked with the Canto-pop band. Beyond, which was formed in 1983, are seen by many as Hong Kong’s equivalent to The Beatles because both bands’ songs carry strong political messages.
Mr. Wong once was famously quoted as saying “there’s only the entertainment industry but not a music industry in Hong Kong.” The rock star died after a tragic incident in which he fell off a stage in a Tokyo television studio in 1993. Read the rest of this entry »
Head Off a Tiananmen Massacre in Hong Kong
Posted: September 30, 2014 Filed under: Asia, Global, Think Tank | Tags: Beijing, China, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chief Executive, National People's Congress, Occupy Central, Teng Biao, Tiananmen Square, Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, Vladimir Putin, Yang Jianli 4 Comments
“Two of the world’s powerful autocracies, both rooted in the idea and practice of communist dictatorship, are bent on encroaching upon freedom and democracy on two different fronts: Ukraine and Hong Kong.”
Yang Jianli, president of Initiative for China, Teng Biao, a human-rights lawyer, and Hu Jia, winner of the Sakharov Prize, are former political prisoners of China. They write:
Thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators turned out in Hong Kong on Monday, defying a government crackdown over the weekend that saw riot police using tear gas, pepper spray and batons against protesters. As demonstrations grow against Beijing’s violation of its 
promise to allow universal suffrage, there is a danger that the infamous 1989 massacre in Tiananmen Square could be repeated in Hong Kong.
“Requiring voters to select leaders from two to three candidates selected by a committee controlled by Beijing is not meaningful “universal suffrage.'”
The crisis began in June, when Beijing released a white paper that reneged on the “One Country Two Systems” principle laid out in the Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 and the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s constitution.
[Also see – Democracy in China: ‘The struggle for Hong Kong,’ or ‘The Great Leap Sideways’]
China had pledged that Hong Kong could rule itself on all matters apart from defense and foreign affairs, and voters could freely choose their own leader.
Instead, the white paper claimed that Beijing has complete jurisdiction over Hong Kong, with the only autonomy being what the central government decides to grant. All aspects of local government are subject to oversight by Beijing, and even judges must meet its standard of patriotism. Read the rest of this entry »
Only in Hong Kong: Doing Homework While Protesting
Posted: September 30, 2014 Filed under: China, Education, Global | Tags: Beijing, China, CY Leung, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Chief Executive, Hongkong, Occupy Central, Pan-democracy camp, Protest, September 29 2014, September 30 2014, world 1 CommentOnly in Hong Kong – doing homework while protesting #OccupyCentralpic.twitter.com/aLONywxwk9
— Jacky Wong (@jackycwong) September 30, 2014
Bonus tweet – then came the violins…
Sad to see HK protesters resorting to violins. pic.twitter.com/17cGBXHeRO
— Samuel Wade (@samuel_wade) September 29, 2014
