https://www.scmp.com/rss/1603/feed Martin Lee is the founding chairperson of the Democratic Party of Hong Kong and an individual member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com At midnight on July 1, 1997, my home, Hong Kong, a territory of then 6.5 million people, was handed over from Britain to the People’s Republic of China. Almost 21 years later, we have come to a critical moment: promised democratic development has been totally stopped, the young generation in Hong Kong is under attack, and the autonomy and core values we have worked hard to preserve are in serious danger. I am 79 years old, and have been working for five decades as a barrister and advocate for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2133468/democracy-hong-kong-would-do-wonders-chinas-global?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2133468/democracy-hong-kong-would-do-wonders-chinas-global?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Feb 2018 02:00:45 +0000 My story begins with the appearance of the pro-democracy legislators on the balcony of the former Legislative Council building at midnight on June 30, 1997. We said something very simple: "We shall return." We knew we would be thrown out of the Legislative Council by what was called the Provisional Legislative Council. As it was a provisional council, members did not have to be elected. Articles 45 and 68 of the Basic Law say that the ultimate aim is the election of the chief executive and all... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1227015/hong-kong-people-cant-just-wait-around-democracy-they-must?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1227015/hong-kong-people-cant-just-wait-around-democracy-they-must?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0000 There is no one like Martin Lee Chu-ming. He will have no successor when he retires from the Legislative Council. The fight for democracy for Hong Kong will go on, but it will be a very different fight. What makes Mr Lee unique is his conviction that democracy for Hong Kong is a matter of international concern and importance. This explains his tireless endeavours to galvanise America and Europe to do their part in urging Beijing to listen to the wishes of the people of Hong Kong. He insists... https://www.scmp.com/article/632218/pushing-boundaries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/632218/pushing-boundaries?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:00:00 +0000 Founding Democratic Party chairman Martin Lee will never give up fighting for democracy You led a protest on the Legco building balcony at midnight on June 30, 1997. What was on your mind? What was very much on my mind was that we would be thrown out of Legco and replaced by the provisional Legco, which was clearly illegal. We were very much aware of that. At the end of the year we could be re-elected. That was mainly what I said: 'We shall return.' Do you have a plan for July 1 this... https://www.scmp.com/article/592750/eye-witness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/592750/eye-witness?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 May 2007 16:00:00 +0000 I consider this is a vindication of all that I have been doing in the past. In my heart, I think everything I said and I did was for the best interest of Hong Kong. And I still hold firm to my principles. I never gave in and I am now invited on this trip, even though it is only to Guangdong and not to Beijing. I think it should be an example for all people in Hong Kong that they should never give up anything if they believe it is in the best interests of Hong Kong. This includes the fight for... https://www.scmp.com/article/517871/glimpse-guangdong-vindication-my-stand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/517871/glimpse-guangdong-vindication-my-stand?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Sep 2005 16:00:00 +0000 Sitting in his office at the Legislative Council, Martin Lee Chu-ming, 67, seriously contemplates the prospect of dropping out of the political limelight to spend more time with his family. 'In 2008 it's very likely that I will quit [the Legislative Council]. I will be 70 by then - though I don't feel that old. But you can't keep doing it until you die.' Thinking back on how his career has affected his family, Mr Lee adds: 'In 1985, during my first election, my son Joey was four. One day he... https://www.scmp.com/article/517731/non-stop-fighter-still-finds-time-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/517731/non-stop-fighter-still-finds-time-family?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Sep 2005 16:00:00 +0000 Despite efforts to improve workers' conditions on the mainland, the legal system remains heavily weighted in employers' favour. Monina Wong Ching-man of the Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committee - which is assisting workers involved in the Lucky Gems and Jewelry dispute - said that although standards are improving, people with work-related illnesses are forced to pursue cases through lengthy court proceedings. 'It's unfair,' she said. 'Workers have to shoulder the social cost of... https://www.scmp.com/article/471181/unhealthy-state-affairs-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/471181/unhealthy-state-affairs-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Sep 2004 16:00:00 +0000 Democratic Party chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming, who will stand down at the end of the year, has appealed to members to give their full support to the new leader. He also said it would be good if there was a leadership contest. 'Whoever wins, I hope everyone will support him or her. When the new leader comes to office, he or she will be under a lot of pressure. There might be resignations from members. But a sense of crisis may be turned into a positive element for change.' Mr Lee, who has... https://www.scmp.com/article/375728/martin-lee-sees-hard-role-new-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/375728/martin-lee-sees-hard-role-new-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Mar 2002 16:00:00 +0000 IN A FEW DAYS, Hong Kong will enter its fourth year as a Special Administrative Region under Chinese sovereignty. We won't be seeing as much festivity as in the past two years, when prominent leaders descended from Beijing for the anniversary. There will be no shortage of drama, nonetheless. In the run-up to the handover anniversary, the people of Hong Kong have seen a few demonstrations. Public doctors are organising themselves against a new two-tier grade structure. Even the formerly... https://www.scmp.com/article/319835/tung-must-hear-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/319835/tung-must-hear-people?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jun 2000 16:00:00 +0000 DEMOCRAT MICHAEL HO MUN-KAR was not just being humble when he said his decision not to stand in the forthcoming Legislative Council polls would only pose a small problem for the Democrats. In fact, the pro-democracy flagship has other bigger headaches to contend with. A rift over policy issues as well as who should stand in September's elections has widened recently, while opinion surveys show the popularity of the party and its leader, Martin Lee Chu-ming, falling. Though it remains the... https://www.scmp.com/article/318016/not-quite-shipshape-aboard-democrats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/318016/not-quite-shipshape-aboard-democrats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jun 2000 16:00:00 +0000 Now, perhaps more than ever, Martin Lee Chu-ming believes patience is a virtue. It is something he says the Democrats need in abundance to tide the difficult times ahead. 'Patience is the virtue at these times,' the leader said in an interview with the South China Morning Post. 'The fight for democracy is not going to be over in a matter of months or years. It's going to be a long-drawn battle. If we can't keep our calm, we can ruin things.' The chairman of the Democratic Party was speaking... https://www.scmp.com/article/267680/call-calm-party-crossroads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/267680/call-calm-party-crossroads?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Dec 1998 16:00:00 +0000 Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen's surprise announcement last week that Chinese leaders would be willing to sit down with Hong Kong democrats 'and discuss Hong Kong matters to make things better' was good news for Hong Kong. Though it is still too early to say whether China's olive branch will actually bear fruit, the gesture itself has major symbolic value to a Hong Kong starved for signs of understanding from China. For years we in the Democratic Party have hoped that Chinese leaders... https://www.scmp.com/article/170871/we-have-be-true-our-principles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/170871/we-have-be-true-our-principles?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Aug 1996 16:00:00 +0000 From the very beginning, Washington treated Martin Lee Chu-ming well. Some 25 reporters packed the Harry Truman lounge at the prestigious National Press Club last Wednesday to hear Hong Kong's voice of the people give a press conference - the same room where, a little over two years ago, he had attracted only eight members of the media. But as he began speaking, Mr Lee felt obliged to point out that, contrary to the billing given him by the club, he was not 'president of the Legislative... https://www.scmp.com/article/157014/taking-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/157014/taking-america?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Apr 1996 16:00:00 +0000 IF it was not for the much-criticised Bill of Rights proposals, the Preliminary Working Committee would have made a good impression on Hong Kong people, according to PWC member Lau Siu-kai. And, he said, both the Chinese and British Governments are to blame for making a political issue of the controversy. Looking back over more than 30 months of work carried out by the PWC, Professor Lau admitted their Bill of Rights proposals went too far. 'We should spend more time to study the... https://www.scmp.com/article/143180/preparing-territory-handover?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/143180/preparing-territory-handover?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Dec 1995 16:00:00 +0000 THE Preliminary Working Committee (PWC) is held in very high regard in China. No less an official than Chinese President Jiang Zemin officiated at the PWC's closing ceremony in Beijing on Friday. Xinhua (the New China News Agency) eulogised the PWC, proclaiming its 'success has lain in its trust in the people of Hong Kong' and that its 'views and proposals on the smooth transition have been widely accepted'. How many people in Hong Kong would agree with that, I wonder. According to last... https://www.scmp.com/article/142250/why-pwc-failed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/142250/why-pwc-failed?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Dec 1995 16:00:00 +0000 A CHINESE proverb says 'The shameful business of a family cannot be exposed outside'. There are similar sayings in English. Whether it is in the East or in the West, one of the first things parents teach their children is not to wash their dirty linen in public. The family member who goes public with a domestic scandal stands to be condemned, especially if outsiders have a vested interest in dividing the family by backing rival members of the household. Crude as this reasoning may sound,... https://www.scmp.com/article/127338/speak-out-or-shut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/127338/speak-out-or-shut?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Aug 1995 16:00:00 +0000 WITH exactly two years until the transfer of sovereignty, things look bleaker for Hong Kong - and for China - than they have at any time since 1989. The main reason I entered politics and have fought for democracy for over a decade was to preserve Hong Kong's way of life and especially the rule of law and our independent judiciary. My original vision was that by keeping our legal system intact, we could spread Hong Kong's rule of law to China and point the only way for the future: one that... https://www.scmp.com/article/122845/sell-out-has-stop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/122845/sell-out-has-stop?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jun 1995 16:00:00 +0000 WHEN the Legislative Council passes the first stage of the electoral bill next Wednesday, it hopefully will mark the end of an era of appeasement and secret Sino-British deals which denied Hong Kong people the right to make our own decisions on our own internal affairs. Sir Percy Cradock, the principal architect of the kowtow policy, recently defended that era in a book serialised in the pages of this newspaper. There is no fury so fierce as the wrath of an Old China Hand scorned, as in the... https://www.scmp.com/article/63585/break-appeasement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/63585/break-appeasement?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Feb 1994 16:00:00 +0000 WHEN John Major decided to send Chris Patten to be the last Governor of Hong Kong, the avowed objective was that the British Government should not retreat from Hong Kong in 1997 in disgrace - but in honour. When Mr Patten presented his electoral reforms in October 1992, his mission was to build up Hong Kong's institutions; specifically, a credible legislature that could stand up to Beijing after 1997 and preserve our rule of law. But after 120 hours of secret negotiations in Beijing we still... https://www.scmp.com/article/50804/it-too-late-patten-keep-his-promise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/50804/it-too-late-patten-keep-his-promise?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Nov 1993 16:00:00 +0000 WHAT does leadership mean? At the most fundamental level, a leader is someone who makes decisions. He makes hard decisions when they are not likely to be popular, as well as when they are. In Governor Chris Patten's second policy address, he made the decision to address many of the issues concerning the livelihood of Hong Kong citizens. These are important and complex subjects that require leadership. I was pleased to see Mr Patten's willingness to address that challenge. But on the... https://www.scmp.com/article/47221/reversing-down-democratic-road?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/47221/reversing-down-democratic-road?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Oct 1993 16:00:00 +0000 ON Wednesday evening, Governor Chris Patten conceded on television what he earlier neglected to tell the members of the Legislative Council: that China's objective in the current Sino-British negotiations is to restrict the number of Legco members who are elected through genuine and open elections. If Mr Patten has accurately represented the Chinese negotiating position, then any agreement Britain could reach by caving in to Beijing will surely crush the democratic aspirations of Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/article/47070/any-more-concessions-will-only-destroy-our-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/47070/any-more-concessions-will-only-destroy-our-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Oct 1993 16:00:00 +0000 JUNE 1996 and Most Favoured Nation (MFN) season has come and gone without a single mention in Hongkong. Because of her ongoing transformation into a ''socialist market economy'', the People's Republic of China has become increasingly integrated into the regional and world economies, taking her rightful place in the international community. Hongkong's proximity and trade expertise continue to be major factors in China's economic success. In addition to the booming economy, China has improved... https://www.scmp.com/article/28884/how-we-should-present-case-mfn-renewal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/28884/how-we-should-present-case-mfn-renewal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 May 1993 16:00:00 +0000