‘Connected by blood’: Leung Chun-ying says Hongkongers should care about major mainland issues like Tiananmen Square
Chief executive’s remarks come amid rift between city’s young people and annual vigil’s organiser
Hong Kong’s top official broke his traditional silence on the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown for the first time, declaring that locals and mainlanders were “connected by blood” and the city should care about “major incidents” in the country.
While Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has always avoided questions about Tiananmen at this time of year, when Hong Kong marks June 4 with a candlelight vigil and other memorials, he was singing a different tune ahead of his weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
“Hong Kong is part of the country. Hongkongers and citizens of the entire country are connected by blood,” Leung said.
“Hong Kong residents should care about major incidents that took place on the mainland.”
In 1989, Leung published a statement the day after the crackdown to “strongly condemn” the Chinese Communist Party for carrying out a “bloody massacre”.
He said in another interview that demonstrations at Tiananmen Square had been “peaceful” and that he did not understand why orders had been given to clear the protesting students.