Vice-chancellor part of 'Chinese Movement' protests
The University of Hong Kong's new vice-chancellor was involved in student protests in the late 1960s as part of the 'Chinese Movement' that demanded the colonial government designate Chinese as its official language with English.
'As a Hong Kong Chinese person, I of course supported the cause of the movement,' Professor Tsui Lap-chee said yesterday. He was studying at Chinese University when the movement began.
Professor Tsui said on Monday that he supported the right of students to take part in lawful protests and demonstrations.
Several years ago he told Voices from a Community, a publication run by the Canadian Chinese community, that his main role in the movement was to display banners and posters.
Dr Wong Chi-ching, of Polytechnic University, who also took part in the Chinese Movement, said Professor Tsui had concentrated on publicity.
'He was good at painting slogans and publishing campus journals for the cause,' said Dr Wong, who is an assistant professor in the department of Chinese and bilingual studies. 'Professor Tsui was not a leader but one of the core 20 participants at our university.'
He said Professor Tsui also took part in the movement over the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the early 1970s.
