Hong Kong independence advocates have a personality disorder, says prominent economist
Francis Lui of University of Science and Technology says they also stay home and play video games; Democratic Party vice chairman blames government for trend
A prominent economist has characterised advocates of the city’s independence as having “a personality disorder” who stay at home to play video games.
At a forum hosted by the Hong Kong Development Forum on Thursday, Francis Lui Ting-ming, an economics professor at the University of Science and Technology, criticised pro-independence advocates as “useless youngsters”.
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“[They] do not look for jobs. They just sit at home ... and play video games,” he said. “Their lives are in virtual reality. The only time they socialise is when they go out and throw bricks.”
The academic dismissed claims that Hong Kong could become independent from the mainland, arguing that the city’s economy would collapse.
The academic also quoted a friend of his, who he claimed was a renowned psychiatrist in Hong Kong, as saying that pro-independence advocates were suffering from “a personality disorder”.
Speaking at the same event, Executive Councillor Cheung Chi-kong told the audience that pro-independence advocates did not truly embrace the city’s core values.
Democratic Party vice chairman Lo Kin-hei, however, disagreed with other speakers at the forum, which was also attended by property tycoon Ronnie Chan Chichung and Central Policy Unit member Wong Chack-kie.