bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Sum Lok-kei

Jeffie Lam

The leader of a party advocating Hong Kong independence delivered his long-awaited speech at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club on Tuesday afternoon despite Beijing’s objection and as pro-establishment protesters gathered outside.
Andy Chan Ho-tin, the convenor of the Hong Kong National Party, arrived at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) in Central more than two hours ahead of the event, which started at 12:30pm. He delivered a speech titled “Hong Kong Nationalism: A Politically Incorrect Guide to Hong Kong under Chinese Rule” at 1.15pm.
“Thank you for your concerns, I am already inside the FCC,” Chan wrote on his Facebook account.
It is understood he arrived at about 10am.

Police presence was heavy outside the club and numbered about 100.
Before he spoke, Chan said he would focus on Hong Kong nationalism and address the city’s freedoms and rights. He emphasised he would not bow to pressure and amend his script.
By 11am, about 50 pro-Beijing protesters from groups such as Virtue Dynamics, Voice of Loving Hong Kong and Treasure Group, gathered outside the club located at Ice House Street and Lower Albert Road. A group of pro-Beijing protesters tried to enter but was escorted away by police.


“Zero tolerance for Hong Kong independence,” pro-Beijing protesters chanted, with some calling for the government to “take back” the club’s premises.
Two pro-Beijing lawmakers, Steven Ho Chun-yin of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, and Junius Ho Kwan-yiu, were among the protesters.
The club’s first vice-president, Victor Mallet, received a letter from the groups at about noon.

A dozen of Chan’s supporters also showed up for the 27-year-old activist, but they were barred from protesting near the club as police said having the two opposing camps located next to each other might lead to scuffles.
A small group of pro-democracy protesters mustered at the crossing of Glenealy and Wyndham streets. From outside the club, police carried a lone protester holding a yellow umbrella to the crossing.
Organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club following the police’s proposal to impose an unprecedented ban on the Hong Kong National Party, the talk has elicited the ire of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Maria Tam says Beijing did not intervene over Andy Chan speech
It argued that “external forces” in the city should not “provide a platform for the independence forces to spread their absurd ideas”.
The separatist party was thrust into the spotlight last month when Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu said he was considering a police recommendation to ban the party under the Societies Ordinance on the grounds that its actions – such as street booths and “school infiltration” – had posed an imminent threat to national security.

The row escalated as the city’s former leader, Leung Chun-ying, weighed in. Leung, now one of Hong Kong’s two vice-chairmen of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a top advisory body to Beijing, crossed swords with Mallet by saying the club’s move to invite Chan had “nothing to do with press freedom”.
The ex-chief executive went a step further by daring the club to give up its lease of its government-owned building in Central and bid for the premises in the open market.
Leung’s remarks drew criticism from both global and local media groups, with the International Federation of Journalists strongly urging him to cease his attacks on the FCC.
Why RTHK won’t live broadcast separatist Andy Chan’s FCC speech
Despite the furore, the FCC proceeded with the talk, with Mallet stressing the club did not necessarily endorse the views of its speakers.
“We want to hear [Leung’s] view, we want to hear from Beijing, but we also want to hear from those who oppose them,” Mallet said. “This is precisely what this club and freedom of expression is about.”
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor described the FCC’s choice of speaker as “regrettable” and “inappropriate”.


Hong Kong boy, 16, admits joining pro-independence group based in Taiwan

For a better future, Hong Kong’s leaders must study China’s past

Hong Kong’s national security police arrest man with suspected ties to pro-independence group over seditious messages posted online

Hong Kong localist party Civic Passion disbands, pointing to ‘lack of political options’

Hong Kong localism and independence

Hong Kong pro-independence leader Andy Chan defies Beijing to speak at Foreign Correspondents’ Club

Amid heavy police presence, protesters set up camp outside premises as Andy Chan Ho-tin vowed not to bow to pressure and amend his script

Press gather outside Correspondents' Club in Central. Protesters gather around FCC, they protest against Andy Chan Ho-tin, founder of Hong Kong National Party, who will give a speech at FCC today. 14AUG18. SCMP/ Edward Wong

Protesters gathered outside Foreign Correspondents' Club in Central. They protest against Andy Chan Ho-tin, founder of Hong Kong National Party, who will give a speech at FCC today. 14AUG18. SCMP/ Edward Wong

Protesters outside the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Central. Photo: Sam Tsang

News

Hong Kong

Politics

Amid heavy police presence, protesters set up camp outside premises as Andy Chan Ho-tin vowed not to bow to pressure and amend his script


Amid a heavy police presence, protesters set up camp outside the premises as Andy Chan Ho-tin vowed not to bow to pressure and amend his script.


Press freedom in Hong Kong

Hong Kong National Party ban

Hong Kong pro-independence leader Andy Chan defies Beijing to speak at Foreign Correspondents’ Club

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Amid heavy police presence, protesters set up camp outside premises as Andy Chan Ho-tin vowed not to bow to pressure and amend his script

Amid heavy police presence, protesters set up camp outside premises as Andy Chan Ho-tin vowed not to bow to pressure and amend his script