Baptist University student publication board 'names' Blue Book donor
Beijing-loyalist businessman allegedly gave donation to fund controversial tome
The Baptist University-initiated publication whose findings provoked fierce criticism of Chinese University and led to calls for more mainland interference in local politics was sponsored by a Beijing-loyalist businessman, it was claimed yesterday.
A special publication issued by the editorial board of the Baptist University student union alleged that a HK$1.5 million donation, which helped to fund the publication of the Blue Book of Hong Kong: Annual Report on Development of Hong Kong (2012), was made by former National People's Congress Standing Committee member Tsang Hin-chi.
The editorial board also called for the university's Advanced Institute for Contemporary China Studies - of which the Blue Book's editor Professor Victor Sit Fung-shuen is the director - to "give a public account of the row".
It appears to mark the second time this year that Fung has caused a public outcry. In the summer, his China Model Handbook - which described the Communist Party of China as a selfless and united political entity - aroused fear among locals over the government's proposed national education courses.
Baptist University foundation's website reported that university vice-chancellor Professor Albert Chan Sun-chi invited Tsang for a meeting on that date, where Sit was also present, to thank him for the donation and "exchange views on the development of the university". A university spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment.
A panel looking into the Blue Book's allegation that Chinese University's general education programmes were influenced by an unnamed US foundation - a claim for which Sit's institute has already apologised - is expected to be completed this month.