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Andy Chan Ho-tin, convenor of the Hong Kong National Party, leaves the Foreign Correspondents’ Club after giving a pro-independence speech on August 14. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong independence message is just too absurd to catch on, there’s no reason to panic

I refer to former Hong Kong chief executive Leung Chun-ying and his preaching of the “ban all who do not agree with me” line (“Why Hong Kong FCC can’t be frying cheap omelettes while flying the freedom banner”, September 18).
I propose Mr Leung follow the adage “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”. I did not attend the Foreign Correspondents’ Club talk last month by separatist politician Andy Chan Ho-tin. As a 55-year resident of Hong Kong, 30 of those working for the taxpayers before retiring in 1997, I find the independence for Hong Kong proposition nothing short of ridiculous. Hong Kong is now part of China. All other long-term expat permanent residents I know agree with me.
The argument for it is unsustainable. The deeper the investigation, the clearer this becomes. As always, the devil is in the detail. For example, all China has to do is to turn off the water (remember the drought of 1963-64?) Rather than ban the pro-independence Hong Kong National Party from speaking out, the authorities should encourage it to do so, loudly and often. Their message will self-destruct on these negative details and their thoughts will be a mere footnote in history, for the sole benefit of some researchers.

Peter Berry, Lamma

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