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Tony Cheung

A failure to carry out "de-colonisation" is the root cause of internal strife and economic woe in Hong Kong, a former Beijing official says - but the city's constitutional affairs chief swiftly played down those remarks, calling for "tolerance and trust" from the central government.
Speaking at a forum in Hong Kong, Chen Zuoer also criticised the city for allowing a "revival of de-sinofication". He was referring to a belief in Beijing that British colonialists started a movement to reject and eliminate the mainland's influence in the city as talks on its future began in the early 1980s.
His tough words came a week after Beijing's top official in the city, liaison office boss Zhang Xiaoming , sparked intense debate by describing the position of chief executive as "transcendent" over the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.
Click here to read Chen Zuoer's full speech in Chinese.
Read more: Hong Kong 'separation of powers': Why Beijing is laying down the law on who's in charge

Commentators said the pair's comments highlighted concern in Beijing that the central government's authority was being challenged in Hong Kong.
"Because de-colonisation wasn't implemented in accordance with the law, things that should be put in the history museum ran into the streets," said Chen, in an apparent reference to the hoisting of the colonial flag at protests in the city.
"De-sinofication is at work, but there is no de-colonisation. This harms the 'two systems' under the 'one country, [two systems' principle] ... and creates serious internal strife and many problems."

Read more: Beijing and Hong Kong ‘must look at Basic Law from each other’s perspective’, justice minister says
Chen served as deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and was a key negotiator in the run-up to the 1997 handover. He now heads the semi-official Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies think tank, which organised yesterday's forum.
He added: "What should be eliminated must be eliminated … and what should be regulated must be regulated according to the law."
Speaking to an audience that included Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, Chen lamented that the city's economy lagged behind those of Macau and Singapore.
"Although Macau's gambling revenue and per capita GDP plunged recently, this didn't change the fact that its economic development has significantly [surpassed] Hong Kong," Chen said.

Read more: Outgoing Hong Kong Legco chief warns 'one country, two systems' will fall apart if Beijing keeps on interfering
Asked by the media to elaborate on how to "de-colonialise" Hong Kong, Chen evaded the question and told journalists to "read the Basic Law".
Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing said Chen had missed the point, as Hong Kong's problems were down to its governance.
Speaking separately, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Raymond Tam Chi-yuen said Chen need not worry about "abstract" political notions such as "de-colonisation", as few Hongkongers reminisced about the colonial era.
"The mainland, or [people] like Chen who himself had been a central government official, should show Hong Kong and Hongkongers more tolerance and trust," Tam said.
"Arguing about abstract notions would not do much help to our economic development or people's livelihoods."
Legislative Council President Jasper Tsang Yok-sing echoed Tam's view, adding: "Even if there are residents, or young people, with a 'colonial' mindset, they are a very small minority."
Executive Council member and lawmaker Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, who joined the colonial administration in 1975 and served in government until 2003, suggested that the city's colonial past had left Hong Kong with good traditions, such as the rule of law.
"To maintain the advantages of 'one country, two systems', we should keep the good traditions," Ip said.


Hong Kong's failure to 'implement de-colonialisation' has caused serious problems, says former Beijing handover official

Chen Zuoer (centre), with forum attendees including Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (right). Photo: Felix Wong

Chen Zuoer, former chief Chinese negotiator on Hong Kong's reunion. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Jiang Zemin shakes hands with Britain's Prince Charles at the handover ceremony, to mark Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty at midnight, 30 June 1997. Photo: ROBERT NG/SCMP

Chen Zuoer said Hong Kong "has not been doing too well" in social and economic arenas in recent years, lagging behind Singapore, (pictured) Macau and some mainland cities.

Beijing and Hong Kong ‘must look at Basic Law from each other’s perspective’, justice minister says

Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung warned without mutual understanding, the “two systems”, under the “one country, two systems” principle, would be at risk. Photo: Dickson Lee

Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung warned without mutual understanding, the “two systems”, under the “one country, two systems” principle, would be at risk. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Zhang Xiaoming, director of Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong, made the controversial comments this weekend. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (left) and Director of Beijing's liaison office in Hong Kong Zhang Xiaoming (right). Photo: SCMP Pictures

Jiang Zemin shakes hands with Charles, Prince of Wales at the handover ceremony for Hong Kong, 30 June 1997. The Basic Law was drafted as part of the Sino-British Joint Declaration after its handover to China on July 1, 1997. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Hong Kong 'separation of powers': Why Beijing is laying down the law on who's in charge 

Zhang Xiaoming at the symposium at which he made his controversial remarks. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Rao Geping, a mainland member of the Basic Law Committee. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Deng Xiaoping pictured in 1984. Deng rejected the idea of a separation of powers for Hong Kong's post-handover political structure. Photo: SCMP Pictures 

Outgoing Hong Kong Legco chief warns 'one country, two systems' will fall apart if Beijing keeps on interfering 

Legislative Council president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing said reviewing the implementation of the guiding principle 'one country, two systems' was a task which brooked no delay. Photo: Nora Tam

Legco chief Jasper Tsang (above) has been uncharacteristically critical of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying (foreground). Photo: Dickson Lee

From Deng Xiaoping to Geoffrey Ma: Key movers and shakers on Hong Kong's Basic Law

Deng Xiaoping pictured in 1984. He was China's leader between 1978 until his retirement in 1992. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma Tao-li gives a talk on Basic Law at Lingnan University in Tuen Mun. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Xiao Weiyun at a panel discussion on "Basic Law" at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in 2004. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung. Dickson Lee/SCMP

Ji Pengfei, Director of Chinese State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and Chairman of the Basic Law Drafting Committee. Photo: Sunny Lee/SCMP

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Hong Kong

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Chen Zuoer ties social and economic strife to 1980s 'de-sinofication' and 'de-colonisation' failings - but local minister urges tolerance
