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Letters

Alex Lo is spot on (“We pay the price of Andy Chan’s free speech”, August 18).
People often say that death and taxes are the only two certainties in life. To these we can add a third: that Beijing will never, ever, ever allow Hong Kong to be independent.
This is not a free speech hill to die on. This is a hill on which free speech will die – unless we ignore Andy Chan Ho-tin and his provocative inanities.
Please Hong Kong, before it’s too late, let’s take a collective deep breath and ignore Andy Chan. And let Beijing know we ignore him. On this point government officials, both past and present, bear some responsibility for needlessly giving oxygen to Chan and the Foreign Correspondents’ Club.
I appreciate the free speech we have. I don’t want it sacrificed on the altar to a false god.
Peter Forsythe, Discovery Bay


Hong Kong independence activist Andy Chan must not become the altar at which free speech is sacrificed

Demonstrators outside the FCC hold up placards in support of freedom of speech and universal suffrage, ahead of Andy Chan’s speech at the club on August 14. Photo: AFP

Outrage over Hong Kong independence leader Andy Chan’s speech only reinforces his message

Hong Kong’s democrats need to focus on ‘prize’ of universal suffrage rather than independence, leading US academic Larry Diamond says

Opinion

Andy Chan Ho-tin, convenor of the Hong Kong National Party, speaking at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Hong Kong. Picture: K. Y. Cheng

Stanford University academic says when faced with an increasingly powerful China, activists are obliged to observe a geopolitics rule of thumb of not doing ‘stupid stuff’

Pan-democratic members stand up to support the proposal in setting up a select committee to investigate the role of Link Reit during the Legislative Council meeting debate at the Legislative Council Chamber in Tamar. 13DEC17 SCMP / Sam Tsang

Supporters of Mahathir Mohamad, former Malaysian prime minister and opposition candidate for Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope), celebrate the victory in general election outside the hotel, where Mahathir Mohamad held news conference, in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, May 10, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Andy Chan Ho-tin, convenor of Hong Kong National Party, leaves the Foreign Correspondents' Club after giving a speech at a FCC Club lunch event. 14AUG18. SCMP/ Sam Tsang

Larry Diamond the notion of Hong Kong independence would receive limited support internationally. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Hong Kong localism and independence

Hong Kong National Party ban