HK$1 million bounties on Hong Kong activists’ heads and crackdown on those alleged to raise funds for them ‘global warning’, Regina Ip says
- Former national security chief says bounties and targeting of ‘yellow economic circle’ underlines commitment to protection of country
- She says ‘yellow shops’ may have gone out of business since announcements because of lack of custom
A top Hong Kong government adviser has said the police’s HK$1 million (US$127,700) bounties on eight wanted opposition figures underlined the city’s commitment to tackling national security risks and warned businesses against being linked to stores funding such activities.
“There are not just ‘yellow economic circle’, but also other activities that transfer capitals to exiled activists. The force needs to investigate such activities and cut the financing channels,” Ip said in a television interview.
Ip highlighted businesses that shipped Hong Kong-style foods for tea parties overseas, which were used to back illegal activities because the events were held in an attempt to persuade foreign politicians to back sanctions against the city and mainland China.
“It turns out that the parties involved brainwashing … laying blame on the Chinese and the [city] governments, demanding that people with votes go to the UK to ask parliamentary members to sanction Hong Kong,” Ip said.
She added that people would not be in violation of the national security law if they did not know in advance that the food they sold would be used at events designed to damage the country.
But she added: “Since there are these risks, don’t call yourself part of the ‘yellow economic circle’. It will not help your business at all.”
She was speaking after Hong Kong national security police earlier arrested five people from disbanded opposition party Demosisto over allegations they conspired to raise funds on behalf of Nathan Law Kwun-chung, a former lawmaker and one of the eight wanted activists.
Among the five was a director of a company that runs the Mee app, which is associated with businesses that are part of the “yellow economic circle”.
Mee, which offers group purchases of festive delicacies such as mooncakes and rice dumplings, was not available at major app stores soon after the arrests were made.
Ip suggested some “yellow shops” might have closed in the wake of the announcements of the rewards and related arrests because of a lack of business.
“Some of them could not maintain their business. If one carries on the business just because of political colour, it will not last for long. Business is business,” she said.
Ip maintained the bounties were “necessary” as they sent a clear message to the world that the eight wanted people were still a threat to China’s national security.
“Foreign countries will not help us to arrest them. But those activists continue to organise events to confuse people under the name of ‘freedom and democracy’. We need to send a message to the world they are in fact committing crimes,” Ip said.
The eight wanted opposition figures besides Law are Dennis Kwok Wing-hang and Ted Hui Chi-fung, trade unionist Mung Siu-tat, lawyer Kevin Yam Kin-fung, and activists Finn Lau Cho-dik, Anna Kwok Fung-yee and Elmer Yuan Gong-yi.
They were last known to be living in the United States, Britain, Australia and Canada.
Police last week announced the unprecedented HK$1 million rewards for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the eight.
Seven of the group were accused of calling for international sanctions against Hong Kong.
City leader John Lee Ka-chiu earlier said they should be treated like “rats in the street that should be avoided for our sake”.
