No need to link Benny Tai’s independence comments to launch of national security laws, Hong Kong No 2 official says
Matthew Cheung speaks up on row as supporters of Occupy co-founder say the controversial academic’s remarks have been blown out of proportion to ‘pave the way’ for Article 23 legislation
Hong Kong’s No 2 official said on Thursday there was no need to associate Benny Tai Yiu-ting’s independence comments with the enactment of a controversial national security law, amid growing concerns that the government would use the saga to justify accelerating the process of legislation.
Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung is the first local official to weigh in on the matter since the government released a statement last Friday to strongly condemn Tai’s remarks.
The embattled academic also received sharp rebukes from Beijing’s two departments in charge of Hong Kong affairs, as well as mainland media and local pro-establishment lawmakers.
“It is unnecessary to link Article 23 legislation with this incident.”