HKU law professors hit back against pro-Beijing press ‘political interference’ attacks
Nine academics unite to denounce pro-Beijing media's accusations against possible candidate for top position as CY denies interference
Law professors from the University of Hong Kong have joined forces to hit back at attacks on a colleague by pro-Beijing media, saying the news reports were a "worrying" signal of political interference in academic affairs.
Nine professors spoke to the South China Morning Post yesterday as Sophia Kao Ching-chi, a top adviser to the chief executive, admitted discussing with unidentified people whether pro-democracy scholar Johannes Chan Man-mun was fit to be a HKU pro-vice chancellor. She claimed she could not remember if they were from HKU.
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying was yesterday accused of trying to block the appointment of Chan in an Apple Daily report.
But Leung's office responded with a flat denial of interference.
"The chief executive and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government have not intervened in the selection process of the vice-president of HKU," the office said. "We express regret over the unfounded allegations made by the report."
In their interview with the Post, the HKU scholars argued that a recent research assessment, on which attacks on Chan by pro-Beijing newspaper Wen Wei Po were based, did not fully reflect the law school's contribution to academia and the wider community under Chan's leadership, especially its pivotal role in Hong Kong law.