My TakeOne-day ‘seminar’ restores united front
- Like any political bloc in the city, the pro-establishment camp has experienced deep divisions
- The Shenzhen gathering was no doubt called to end dissension in the ranks
A one-day “seminar” was all that was needed to restore the united front.
About 500 of the city’s business and political elites were called by the powers that be to Shenzhen, no doubt to end the dissensions within the ranks since the outbreak of unrest in Hong Kong. Like any political bloc in the city, including the opposition pan-democrats, there have been deep divisions within the pro-establishment camp.
Their leading lights had championed the controversial extradition bill on behalf of the Hong Kong government, only to be told at the last minute in June that it was being shelved. The decision to suspend the bill indefinitely was no doubt made in Beijing, but they blamed Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor for taking a hard line on extradition, only to capitulate without consulting them.
Fearful of a rout in the district-level elections in November and the Legislative Council elections next year, many Beijing loyalists have tried to distance themselves from Lam and her government.
But whatever they think about their own political future, they have now been told to keep it to themselves. At the Shenzhen seminar, Zhang Xiaoming, director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said: “The central government is 100 per cent supportive of Lam’s leadership.” If Lam is now no more than a lame duck, well, that’s the figurehead to whom they will have to pledge their loyalty.
If they still fret about the coming election defeats, they may be helped by the many disqualifications that are sure to happen as, following the current unrest, there will be plenty of excuses to reject potential candidates considered too radical or anti-China by election officials.
Meanwhile, well before this week, another divisive Beijing loyalist has been rehabilitated. Lawmaker Junius Ho Kwan-yiu briefly became a pariah even within his own camp after he was seen shaking hands with men who might have taken part in an alleged triad-linked attack on protesters and bystanders in Yuen Long.
Far from apologising, he has since doubled down and advocated local people defending their own homes against anti-government protesters, who have been rallying in different districts. Both HKMAO spokesman Yang Guang and Wang Zhimin, director of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong, have made statements this week urging Hong Kong people to defend themselves against violent protesters and forces of chaos. What course of action do they advise? Your guess is as good as mine.