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Only Hong Kong University can decide whether Benny Tai should keep his job, education chief Kevin Yeung says
Secretary for Education says it’s not for him to decide whether the controversial scholar is suitable to teach
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It is for the University of Hong Kong to decide whether controversial academic Benny Tai Yiu-ting – who has been attacked by the authorities for recent remarks on independence for the city – is still suitable to teach, the education secretary said on Sunday.
Kevin Yeung Yun-hung was responding to calls from pro-establishment politicians and groups for the university to dismiss Tai – one of the leaders of the 2014 Occupy campaign – from his position as associate professor of law, after the controversial scholar touched a nerve with Beijing last month by suggesting in a seminar that independence could be one of the options for the city in a “ democratic China”.
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“It is not up to me to decide whether he is suitable [to teach]. I believe the university would make a decision after thorough consideration,” Yeung said.
“Freedom of expression and academic freedom are beliefs that the government insists on. But at the same time, everyone understands that as Hong Kong is part of China, the notion of ‘Hong Kong independence’ is not in line with the Basic Law and the [Chinese] constitution.”
I heard independence remarks before criticising, Hong Kong chief says
Asked at what point independence discussions would exceed the scope of academic freedom, Yeung said: “I believe everyone will study all the facts to determine whether it is an academic discussion, advocacy or promotion.”
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