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- May 26, 2013
- Updated: 4:25pm
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Love China or leave, Lu Ping tells Hong Kong's would-be secessionists
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"Those who do not recognise they are Chinese should look at what is written on their passports or they should renounce their Chinese nationality."
So says Lu Ping, former director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office. "Our country, which has a population of 1.3 billion, would not be bothered losing this handful of people," Lu stated in an exchange of email with the South China Morning Post.
Lu made the comments when attacking people in the city who do not want to acknowledge their nationality.
Under the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China, people can apply to renounce their nationality if they are a close relative of a foreign national, are settled abroad, or for other legitimate reasons.
Lu told the Post he noted some people had waved the British flag and held up posters calling for "Hong Kong independence" at a recent protest in the city. "They claim the only way out for Hong Kong is to become an independent nation," he said.
It was the second time Lu has commented on calls for Hong Kong independence. In a letter to the Post on October 12 he said "these guys who advocate for Hong Kong independence are sheer morons". "Deprived of support from the mainland, Hong Kong would be a dead city." Lu said it was good his remarks had triggered controversy.
Last week, Lu's former deputy, Chen Zuoer, said "the rise of a pro-independence force in Hong Kong is spreading like a virus" and should be dealt with firmly.
Yesterday, an editorial in the state-run Global Times described the notion of an independent Hong Kong as a "false proposition". It said a minority of Hongkongers had stirred up anti-mainland sentiment because they were losing their sense of superiority over mainlanders.
Dickson Cheung - the spokesman of a group that has set up a Facebook page called "We are Hongkongers, not Chinese" - had this to say in response to Lu's latest attack on those who did not want to acknowledge their Chinese nationality: "We do not even want an SAR [Special Administrative Region] passport. But what can we do?"
Executive Council convenor Lam Woon-kwong said he did not see the emergence of a movement for independence, even though some people had waved the British flag during protests.
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5:42pm
8:49am
7:53am
Lu Ping is a simple minded politician, for it's not the Hong Kongers denouncing their nationality and prefer the British rule, certainly not, it's more about the respect we Hong Kongers do not have for the mainlanders who show complete disrespect for us and seemed to think because they now have money (mosly from corruptions or sale of their rural properties) they can behave atrociously like they just come out of their caves of some rural areas.
As a Chinese person I hasten to say most of the Hong Kongers, Singaporeans and overseas Chinese who migrated a long time ago all say the same thing about the mainlanders. Even if their children are now being sent overseas such as Australia to study it will still take no less than four of their generations to become cultured to rid the bad habits of their forebears.
It's not about nationality its the lack of respect for mainlanders we don't have. Ask why people don't like Japanese but still have a lot of respect for their manners. Lu Ping go and join them.
3:33am
HK does not need China.
Most people in HK would be happier without the chinese sucking away the value of their former currency, their culture, their independence. Why do the HK people allow this? America will help you in your independence.
7:24pm
Such is the paranoia and authoritarianism of China's ruling elite who only care about retaining power and not dealing with the social ills caused by crony capitalism, while they send their own spoiled children overseas to study, funded by money of questionable origin. Does it forebode more repressive forces being brought to bear on Hong Kong in the near future?
2:43pm
3:31am
There is no chance that america will allow china to destroy taiwan or HK. That is certain. The USA is the major power in the pacific region and could easily throw its weight around if china chooses to oppress its friends in taiwan and HK. These areas are useful to us.
12:47pm
8:34pm
2.While appreciating law and order sustained,one will admit justice in HK is luxurious,justice is comparatively obtainable to the wealthy class.Justice is not equally shared among the society.
3.While we are proud of the anti graft and legal system,the system is not flawless.
4.In that era and now,harmony has not been attained.There is a saying"香港人情紙咁薄，笑貧不笑娼盜",aggressive manner,abusive words,low moral level and hidden agenda prevails,despite a higher level of education universally attained.This situation may be not seen as strikes in the streets,but deeply implanted in peoples' mind. Would be law breakers seeking loop holes making use of the expertise in the field,the rule of the game is "if not caught ,that makes me a hero".Be a winning king,or a losing thug.Paramount of all,things have to be done to avoid genetically rolling backwards to extreme power struggles such as the cultural revolution.
