Hard talker stops to listen when Hong Kong hollers
Award-winning BBC interviewer Tim Sebastian arrived in town yesterday, proof that people power does make the world stand up and take notice.
The HARDtalk presenter, known for his aggressive interviewing of newsmakers, was touring the region when the half-million strong July 1 demonstration took place. So he decided to make a detour before heading back to London. 'Some of the fundamental issues being discussed in 1997 have been raised again,' he said yesterday. 'Since July 1, there has been a good reason to come.'
So who here is brave enough to go face to face with the hard-nosed interrogator?
So far only the veteran talker Martin Lee Chu-ming (who else?) has taken up the offer. Mr Lee's nemesis, the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong Kong, is also in negotiations.
Strangely no one from our publicity-hungry government has signed up. A pity because the show reaches 200 million globally.
