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Hong Kong political reform
Hong KongPolitics

Maria Tam denies Beijing intervened in Hong Kong separatist’s FCC speech, saying ‘there is zero tolerance for Hong Kong independence’

Foreign Correspondents’ Club will go ahead with speech by Hong Kong National Party leader despite opposition from Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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Maria Tam, vice-chairwoman of the Basic Law Committee, has backed the decision not to broadcast the speech by separatist party leader Andy Chan. Photo: Simon Song
Sum Lok-kei

Beijing “did not intervene” in the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents’ Club’s plan to host a talk by separatist party leader Andy Chan Ho-tin, pro-establishment camp heavyweight Maria Tam Wai-chu said on Sunday.

Tam, now the vice-chairwoman of the Basic Law Committee, brushed aside accusations that Beijing was undermining freedom of speech in the city, and also said she supported the decision by Leung Ka-wing, the head of RTHK, the city’s public broadcaster, not to live stream Chan’s speech on Tuesday.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not intervene with anything, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented,” Tam said.

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Andy Chan, convenor of the Hong Kong National Party, is expected to address the FCC on Tuesday. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Andy Chan, convenor of the Hong Kong National Party, is expected to address the FCC on Tuesday. Photo: Jonathan Wong

FCC vice-president Victor Mallet had earlier said the ministry’s office in Hong Kong had contacted the club regarding Chan’s talk.

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In a statement on August 3, Beijing’s Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “resolutely opposes any external forces providing a platform for the independence forces to spread their absurd ideas”.

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