https://www.scmp.com/rss/306727/feed Sonny Lo Shiu-Hing is a veteran political commentator and observer of the politics of Hong Kong and Macau. He has published many books on the two cities' governance, democratisation and crime control, among other topics. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The strong comeback of the opposition Kuomintang in Taiwan’s elections on Saturday has important implications not only for the island’s political development but also for cross-strait relations in the coming years. The governing Democratic Progressive Party suffered a serious setback, losing seven of the 13 city and county seats it had held since 2014, while the KMT captured 15 seats, up from only six four years ago. Significantly, in the mayoral races, the KMT’s Han Kuo-yu convincingly defeated... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/united-states/article/2175057/taiwanese-voters-have-spoken-what-do-elections?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/united-states/article/2175057/taiwanese-voters-have-spoken-what-do-elections?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Nov 2018 22:30:30 +0000 Typhoon Mangkhut wreaked havoc on Hong Kong and Macau, causing widespread flooding and damage. Fortunately, although there have been injuries, there has been no loss of human life so far in both cities. Unlike last year when Typhoon Hato claimed 10 lives in Macau, the government there managed to brace itself better for yesterday’s storm. In both Hong Kong and Macau, the authorities prepared sufficiently while citizens were educated on how they should protect themselves. This time, credit must... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2164541/what-typhoon-mangkhut-taught-us-value-being?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/hong-kong/article/2164541/what-typhoon-mangkhut-taught-us-value-being?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Sep 2018 11:04:22 +0000 While Taiwan was viewed as one of the four East Asian tigers which produced an “economic miracle” in the 1980s, its global competitiveness is now in decline – its rank is down from 14 in 2017 to 17 in 2018, according to the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in May.  Although some question the methodology of the competitiveness ranking, Taiwan’s decline is alarming. Taiwan now lags behind the People’s Republic of China, whose rank rose from 18 last year to 13... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/asia/article/2149566/five-ways-boost-taiwans-economy-face-chinas-overtures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/asia/article/2149566/five-ways-boost-taiwans-economy-face-chinas-overtures?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Jun 2018 05:15:15 +0000 The Chinese government’s grand plan to open up Hainan is not only politically and economically significant for the province itself, but it will also to some extent affect Macau’s position as a casino and tourism hub in southern China in the coming decades. The plan is ambitious. In a “guiding opinion” to “comprehensively deepen” Hainan’s reform and opening up, jointly released by the State Council and Communist Party’s Central Committee this month, the government recognises the island’s... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2142125/stronger-hainan-economy-good-news-hong-kong-and-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2142125/stronger-hainan-economy-good-news-hong-kong-and-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Apr 2018 10:18:08 +0000 On February 28, the Taiwan Office under China’s State Council published 31 new policies on Taiwan. These include preferential treatment for the island’s firms in investment, technological and cooperative ventures with mainland counterparts, and 19 items to help Taiwanese work, live, study, find jobs and initiate innovative start-ups on the mainland. Moreover, Taiwanese can take a variety of professional and technical exams, while the way has been smoothed for Taiwan’s movie industry to... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2137032/beijings-new-taiwan-policies-reveal-its-plans-greater?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2137032/beijings-new-taiwan-policies-reveal-its-plans-greater?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Mar 2018 03:55:17 +0000 The street protests by half a million people on July 1, 2003, saw the emergence in Hong Kong of an assertive civil society, that however lacks political power brokers. Although a few did emerge in 2010, when Democratic Party members went to the central government’s liaison office to negotiate the city’s electoral reforms, Hong Kong on the whole lacks political power brokers. Intermediary agents are critical in any process of democratisation. In 1986, when Taiwan’s opposition Democratic... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2125230/can-hong-kongs-new-npc-deputies-be-change-citys-zero-sum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2125230/can-hong-kongs-new-npc-deputies-be-change-citys-zero-sum?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Dec 2017 05:32:17 +0000 Central government officials for Hong Kong matters have been emphasising that the “one country” principle is superior to “two systems”, but their push to legislate on Article 23 could open a new door for bargaining with Hong Kong pan-democrats in 2019-2020. But such bargaining is likely only under certain conditions. First, legislation on Article 23 of the Basic Law may be divided into at least three stages, to tackle the three main issues of national security, state secrets, and links with... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2121964/how-article-23-security-law-could-help-hong-kongs-pan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2121964/how-article-23-security-law-could-help-hong-kongs-pan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Nov 2017 08:00:29 +0000 The dominant view of Hong Kong’s democratic development seems to be that it is in a dark age. This ignores that the drive for democracy here is bound to have its ups and downs. The current “nadir” will eventually lead to a breakthrough, possibly in four or five years, when the chief executive election is again in the political limelight. Idealists believe the recent legal proceedings against democratic activists testify to Hong Kong’s drift towards authoritarianism. Realists believe the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2113914/six-reasons-feel-positive-about-democracy-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2113914/six-reasons-feel-positive-about-democracy-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Oct 2017 05:37:29 +0000 Macau’s latest legislative election result demonstrated an unprecedented victory for the democratic forces, who grabbed five of the 14 directly elected seats. While local media appeared to play this down, stressing the victory of grass-roots representatives from kaifong (neighbourhood) associations, labour unions and women’s associations (which captured four directly elected seats), careful analysis of the result shows several features. First, voters appeared dissatisfied with the government... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2111843/democratic-breakthrough-macau-election-now-its-time-reform?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2111843/democratic-breakthrough-macau-election-now-its-time-reform?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Sep 2017 07:14:01 +0000 Judging by the way the Macau government handled severe tropical storm Pakhar, it seems to have learnt quickly from its errors with Typhoon Hato. The devastating impact of Hato on Macau was obvious and plunged the administration of Fernando Chui Sai-on into an unprecedented crisis. The deployment of the People’s Liberation Army to help clean up the garbage and debris left by Hato was necessary, to prevent further damage being inflicted by Pakhar, which followed close behind. In 2012, when invited... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2108608/eight-routes-better-typhoon-management-macau-pakhar-response?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2108608/eight-routes-better-typhoon-management-macau-pakhar-response?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Aug 2017 08:02:23 +0000 The victory of Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was widely expected, but the Hong Kong chief executive election demonstrated the lasting effect of political wounds left by the 2014 Occupy movement and the failure of the political reform package in 2015. How to heal these wounds remains a challenge for Lam. The election outcome ... is actually the result of the pan-democrats’ rejection of the 2015 political reform package Although the election outcome has not been welcomed by the pan-democrats, it is... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2082428/if-carrie-lam-wants-heal-rifts-hong-kong-it-starts-political?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2082428/if-carrie-lam-wants-heal-rifts-hong-kong-it-starts-political?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Mar 2017 08:50:28 +0000 The most important Hong Kong-related part of Premier Li Keqiang’s ( 李克強 ) annual work report delivered at the National People’s Congress last Sunday is arguably the idea of a Greater Bay Area for Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. A day after he spoke about it, Guangdong governor Ma Xingrui (馬興瑞) expressed hope that the Dawan area (literally, “big bay area”) should not only be comparable to New York, Los Angeles and other coastal economies, but also have a way of coordinating regional differences... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2076997/hong-kong-has-stake-birth-greater-bay-area-chinas-south?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2076997/hong-kong-has-stake-birth-greater-bay-area-chinas-south?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Mar 2017 06:36:20 +0000 The move by the National People’s Congress Standing Committee to interpret Article 104 of the Basic Law has been seen by critics as a failure of “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong. It is too early to jump to this conclusion. The interpretation was necessary because the two young activists in the oath-taking row failed to meet the requirement of being a patriot, defined by Deng Xiaoping ( 鄧小平 ), the architect of the “one country, two systems” policy, as someone who “respects the Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2048899/hong-kong-must-accept-limits-imposed-one-country-two-systems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2048899/hong-kong-must-accept-limits-imposed-one-country-two-systems?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Nov 2016 04:49:02 +0000 Although Hong Kong’s chief executive election will take place next March, much of the local media is already hunting for potential candidates. Recent remarks by outgoing Legislative Council president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing and Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, indicating they may enter the race, have sparked excited debate. Double trouble for CY Leung? John Tsang announces possible bid for Hong Kong’s top job soon after Jasper Tsang does the same What kind of chief executive do Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1998202/john-tsang-or-jasper-tsang-hongkongers-mulling-2017-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1998202/john-tsang-or-jasper-tsang-hongkongers-mulling-2017-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:28:25 +0000 The widespread flooding in China is affecting many provinces, from Guangdong (廣東), Hubei (湖北) and Anhui (安徽) to Hebei (河北). Judging by the way in which the central government, local administrations and the military are dealing with the worst flooding since 1998, there are significant features of how President Xi Jinping (習近平) and his subordinates are managing the events. First and foremost, although the Pearl River flood control authorities warned in March that flooding this year could be as... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1995049/flood-chaos-across-china-ill-prepared-provinces-will-have?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1995049/flood-chaos-across-china-ill-prepared-provinces-will-have?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Jul 2016 09:38:48 +0000 The ways in which Hongkongers dealt with the commemoration of the June 4 incident this year revealed an unprecedented plurality of identity. Although people identify themselves culturally as Chinese, their political attitudes towards China and Hong Kong are very different and fragmented. Annual June 4 vigil now seen as a reminder of what it means to be Chinese First and foremost, those who participated in the candlelight vigil at Victoria Park not only see themselves as culturally Chinese and/or... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1967988/june-4-rallies-reveal-deep-divisions-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1967988/june-4-rallies-reveal-deep-divisions-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jun 2016 04:39:22 +0000 With the return of Lee Po to Hong Kong and his remarks to the media, it is crystal clear that the freedom of publication conferred upon the people of Hong Kong, according to Article 27 of the Basic Law, has its limits. Several books carried assertions and predictions that turned out to be almost accurate First, it is clear that books on Chinese politics or leaders cannot be taken to the mainland by either mainland tourists or Hong Kong people. What was explosive about the content of the books... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1932686/hong-kong-people-learn-basic-law-freedoms-stop-border?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1932686/hong-kong-people-learn-basic-law-freedoms-stop-border?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Apr 2016 02:47:48 +0000 The recent dialogue between Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and pan-democratic legislators in finding a consensus to prioritise bills on livelihood issues in the Legislative Council could be seen as a significant breakthrough in the lengthy executive-legislative impasse in the city. The deadlock has been marked not only by the filibustering efforts of pan-democratic lawmakers over controversial bills, but also by the endless disputes in the Finance Committee over proposals for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1929455/why-hong-kong-government-really-reaching-out-pan-democrats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1929455/why-hong-kong-government-really-reaching-out-pan-democrats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Mar 2016 09:29:20 +0000 Although 951 candidates will compete for the 431 directly elected seats in the district council elections next month, 66 seats will have no opponents. This shows political parties were unable to field enough candidates for fully competitive elections. READ MORE: Full coverage of the 2015 district council elections  The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong has nominated 172 candidates to run - the largest party with the largest number of candidates. The largest... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1870273/uncontested-seats-district-council-elections-underline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1870273/uncontested-seats-district-council-elections-underline?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Oct 2015 03:45:45 +0000 Recent reports from Taiwan saying Kuomintang presidential candidate Hung Hsiu-chu is refusing to quit despite low poll ratings and internal factionalism have significant implications not only for Taiwan's politics but also for the island's relations with mainland China. First and foremost, the factional struggle within the KMT stemmed from efforts to rescue the party's public image by forcing the unpopular Hung to withdraw. To that end, the party leadership has called a congress this... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1867433/whether-kmt-puts-forward-hung-hsiu-chu-or-someone-else?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1867433/whether-kmt-puts-forward-hung-hsiu-chu-or-someone-else?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Oct 2015 05:56:39 +0000 China's military parade last week had significant implications for its military diplomacy: for the first time, it is using its military modernisation to achieve two seemingly contradictory goals. On the one hand, the military will become more elite, with a better balance of land, naval and air forces. Simultaneously, Beijing will shift demobilised soldiers to the paramilitary police force, which will be integrated into a newly formed national security guard. Clearly, part of the modernisation is... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1857166/chinas-display-military-might-much-more-mere-muscle-flexing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1857166/chinas-display-military-might-much-more-mere-muscle-flexing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2015 01:12:22 +0000 The ongoing decline in casino revenues in Macau points not only to the need for the special administrative region's recently announced austerity measures in all government departments, but also the imperative of diversifying its economy. By the end of this year, the government will have to handle the review of the casino industry with great care and sensitivity by instilling a sense of confidence among operators, and pre-empting any political protests that may erupt in the midst of a regional... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1855202/macaus-casino-slump-opportunity-retool-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1855202/macaus-casino-slump-opportunity-retool-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2015 03:15:30 +0000 While political parties are preparing for the scramble for directly elected seats in November's district council elections, society has for too long neglected the issue of how best to reform district administration to decentralise power in recreational, cultural and sporting affairs, which could also help to enhance government accountability. When urban and regional councils were abolished, their powers returned to government. Since then, public complaints about the misuse and mismanagement of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1853328/give-hong-kongs-district-councils-more-say-local-cultural?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1853328/give-hong-kongs-district-councils-more-say-local-cultural?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Aug 2015 02:50:16 +0000 As a political scientist studying and commenting on Hong Kong politics since the early 1990s, I am saddened by the hyper-politicisation of Hong Kong and the absence of moderation in its politics. While some people see this as a sign of political development, it is arguably the root of the city's incessant disputes. In general, people have become intolerant of opposing views. Verbal abuse and attacks have become commonplace in recent years, sometimes culminating into physical violence between... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1848221/without-compromise-hong-kong-will-be-mired-endless-political?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1848221/without-compromise-hong-kong-will-be-mired-endless-political?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:45:30 +0000 The Taiwan factor has been neglected in considering Hong Kong's political development. Arguably, the way Beijing handles constitutional reform is a reflection of its broader policy towards Taiwan. First and foremost, cynics are wrong to argue that Beijing is insincere in supporting democratic reform in Hong Kong. Quite the contrary, it wishes to see lawmakers approve the reform model designed by the Hong Kong government under the parameters of the August 31 decision of the National People's... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1746962/taiwanisation-hong-kong-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1746962/taiwanisation-hong-kong-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2015 05:10:38 +0000 China under Xi Jinping has adopted a so-called "heartland" geopolitical strategy not only to counter outsiders' perception of a "China threat" but also to project an image of a peaceful, self-confident and assertive nation. When geographer Halford MacKinder wrote in 1904 that China was subject to foreign invasion and that the "heartland of the world" was centred on a huge part of the Eurasian region, mostly covering Russia, the Qing dynasty was so weak that it did not even have a geopolitical... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1656320/chinas-global-footprint-part-its-plan-become-heartland-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1656320/chinas-global-footprint-part-its-plan-become-heartland-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2014 22:23:39 +0000 The stalemate between the Occupy movement and the Hong Kong and Beijing governments does not bode well. To break the impasse, all sides will need to act. First, Beijing may have to push the SAR government to come up with a concrete political reform consultation document. This should include several aspects: the method for democratising the composition of the nominating committee (including, for example, a change from some corporate voters to a wider franchise); the relaxation of the criteria,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1637262/urgent-need-begin-discussion-details-electoral-reform-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1637262/urgent-need-begin-discussion-details-electoral-reform-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2014 04:45:45 +0000 The failure of protest leaders and the government to begin talks means continuous confrontation. A police crackdown may well be inevitable. For the safety of all citizens, students and protest leaders should call off the Occupy movement and start a constructive dialogue with the government as soon as possible. The act of surrounding the government headquarters remains a challenge to public order. Jams and transport diversions, as well as business losses have all created social disorder. Although... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1613556/dialogue-not-protest-students-best-bet-winning-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1613556/dialogue-not-protest-students-best-bet-winning-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2014 05:15:15 +0000 The arrest of students who stormed Civic Square on Friday and the police's use of tear gas to disperse crowds of protesters near government headquarters in Admiralty on Sunday night brought matters to a head. But whatever the outcome of the Occupy Central movement, we should now focus on how to go about healing the wounds of political confrontation amid the deep distrust that exists between pro-democracy supporters and the Hong Kong government. The confrontation between police and protesters... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1604628/confrontations-will-continue-unless-we-work-heal-political-wounds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1604628/confrontations-will-continue-unless-we-work-heal-political-wounds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2014 09:15:15 +0000 The emotional polarisation between the pan-democratic and pro-Beijing camps over Beijing's decision on political reform for Hong Kong totally ignores the political space available for democrats. Moderate pro-democracy candidates still have a good chance of getting through the first phase and being considered by the 1,200-member nominating committee. There's also the possibility that, under certain circumstances, a moderate candidate could be put forward by the committee for direct election in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1591029/democrats-still-have-room-manoeuvre-within-nominating?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1591029/democrats-still-have-room-manoeuvre-within-nominating?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Sep 2014 20:39:16 +0000 Although Fernando Chui Sai-on has been re-elected as chief executive in Macau with 380 out of the 396 votes cast by Election Committee members, his paternalistic government faces daunting challenges in the next five years. First and foremost, his "new" government will have to tackle livelihood issues in a more forceful and effective way. While residents and tourists complain about the absence of satisfactory transport services, local casino employees and citizens have been grumbling about the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1582949/chui-must-modernise-his-approach-governing-macau?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1582949/chui-must-modernise-his-approach-governing-macau?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2014 08:00:45 +0000 The ongoing controversy over donations to political groups and individual politicians has reopened the long overdue issue of the need for a political party law in Hong Kong. Opponents to any such law argue that it would deter donors, who are reluctant to have their names revealed, from giving money to political groups and individual politicians. Notwithstanding donor reluctance, a bigger problem is the existing secretive nature of political donations. In a society sharply divided by political... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1561917/legislation-and-transparency-would-end-controversy-over-political-donations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1561917/legislation-and-transparency-would-end-controversy-over-political-donations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2014 08:30:15 +0000 As Hong Kong struggles to come up with a suitable method for electing the chief executive in 2017, one solution may be to use public opinion polls as a constitutional convention or requirement to accompany any "mainstream" model. Given that Beijing has adopted a more hardline policy, it is likely that the Hong Kong government's model will retain a nominating committee for putting forward candidates, and the threshold for nomination will be relatively high, possibly at least half of all committee... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1548676/how-opinion-polls-could-break-2017-chief-executive-election-impasse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1548676/how-opinion-polls-could-break-2017-chief-executive-election-impasse?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2014 06:00:45 +0000 The rapid rise of populism, both from the pan-democratic camp and pro-Beijing front, is challenging the social stability of Hong Kong. Taking populism to refer to the utilisation of public opinion as an appeal to the ruling elite, it's safe to say it has grown rapidly in Hong Kong since July 1, 2003, when half a million people protested against the Tung Chee-hwa administration. Unpopular policies, such as the proposed national security legislation, and the lack of a consistent housing plan... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1539494/rise-radical-populism-pitting-hongkongers-against-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1539494/rise-radical-populism-pitting-hongkongers-against-hongkongers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jun 2014 04:30:15 +0000 While some Hong Kong observers see Beijing's white paper on "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong as nothing new - but, rather, merely restating the central government's position - a careful reading of the document shows an attempt to recast the political reform debate here in the context of national security. The document appeals to the people of Hong Kong to "correctly understand" the principle of "one country, two systems" so as to protect the central government's sovereignty, security and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1530867/white-paper-hong-kong-underlines-beijings-firm-stance-sovereignty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1530867/white-paper-hong-kong-underlines-beijings-firm-stance-sovereignty?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2014 09:00:30 +0000 The continuing failure of Asian states to compromise over their territorial disputes and to tackle domestic squabbles through negotiations has raised a serious question about whether Asians can and will be able to manage their conflicts peacefully in the coming years. There are clearly disturbing signs that point to a far more politically and internationally turbulent Asia than ever before. First and foremost, the rapid rise of China has unsettled its Asian neighbours. The situation reflects not... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1523913/asian-nations-need-talk-and-compromise-territorial-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1523913/asian-nations-need-talk-and-compromise-territorial-disputes?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Jun 2014 12:15:00 +0000 The high-profile anti-prostitution campaign and arrest of sex workers in Dongguan has highlighted the intertwined relationship between the central and local governments in crime control while illustrating how Beijing is tackling the proliferation of vice establishments. First and foremost, once CCTV aired a programme on Sunday that uncovered the seriousness of the prostitution problem in Dongguan, the provincial leadership in Guangdong came under tremendous pressure from the top to act. Some... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1427012/dongguan-vice-crackdown-just-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1427012/dongguan-vice-crackdown-just-start?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Feb 2014 04:45:30 +0000 The high-profile questioning of players from a Hong Kong football club by officers of the Independent Commission Against Corruption has raised serious issues, including whether local soccer matches have been marred by cross-border betting and bribery. With the globalisation of soccer, the prevention of cross-border corruption is arguably urgent, especially in Hong Kong, where players are generally not well paid and sponsorship is increasingly sought from the mainland. The modernisation of soccer... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1405456/match-fixing-probe-should-spur-reform-hong-kong-soccer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1405456/match-fixing-probe-should-spur-reform-hong-kong-soccer?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jan 2014 14:05:10 +0000 Since the Chinese declaration of an air defence identification zone in the East China Sea, the US has been adopting a skilful balancing strategy to rein in both Tokyo and Beijing. This strategy has been working well in several aspects. First, when US Vice-President Joe Biden visited Japan shortly after the Chinese declaration, he avoided any move to make a joint announcement with Tokyo requesting that Beijing annul the air defence zone. And, to Tokyo's surprise, Washington allowed American... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1395681/us-tries-take-middle-path-sino-japanese-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1395681/us-tries-take-middle-path-sino-japanese-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2014 02:15:45 +0000 Two years after the death of Kim Jong-il, the power struggle in North Korea between military hardliners and the more moderate pro-Beijing faction led by Jang Song-thaek has become so serious that Jang not only lost the battle but his life as well. Even before Jang was ousted and executed for his various "crimes", there were already signs that the military hardliners led by Choe Ryong-hae, a vice-marshal of the armed forces and the military's top political officer, was gaining the upper hand. In... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1381991/north-koreas-economic-co-operation-china-will-suffer-jangs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1381991/north-koreas-economic-co-operation-china-will-suffer-jangs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Dec 2013 11:30:30 +0000 The continuous escalation of tensions between China and Japan over the sovereignty of the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands is worrying. While Japan took an unprecedented step in nationalising the islands last year, both sides have been engaged in a shouting match that culminated most recently in the Chinese declaration of an air defence identification zone in the East China Sea covering the islands. If Japan and China continue to flex their military muscles, it would not be surprising to see military... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1366274/china-and-japan-must-remember-spirit-their-1978-peace-treaty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1366274/china-and-japan-must-remember-spirit-their-1978-peace-treaty?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Nov 2013 11:15:30 +0000 While the current public discussion on political reform in Hong Kong focuses on the methods for electing the chief executive and Legislative Council, an examination of how our district councils function seems to have been neglected. At most, there has been some discussion centred on whether district councillors should join the Election Committee selecting the chief executive, although they can already, from last year, nominate candidates running for the "super seats" in the Legco direct... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1356830/time-revamp-hong-kongs-neglected-district-councils?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1356830/time-revamp-hong-kongs-neglected-district-councils?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2013 20:37:21 +0000 While the recent meeting between some Hong Kong pan-democrats and former Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party chairman Shih Ming-teh prompted immediate criticism from pro-Beijing media and the pro-establishment camp, the reality is that Hong Kong's post-handover political development has witnessed some degree of "Taiwanisation". In other words, the ways in which Hong Kong people participate in politics show striking similarities with Taiwan's political culture. First and foremost, since the late... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1347358/taiwan-influence-evident-hong-kongs-political-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1347358/taiwan-influence-evident-hong-kongs-political-development?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Nov 2013 10:45:45 +0000 Advocates for democratisation in Hong Kong tend to see functional constituency elections in the Legislative Council as politically retrogressive, protecting the business sector's interests, and view their abolition as inevitable. Yet little attempt has been made to examine how elections for functional constituencies could be democratised in a way acceptable to both the pro-democracy and pro-business camps. In the 2012 Legco election, candidates were returned unopposed in 16 of the 30 seats in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1336568/scrap-or-keep-debate-functional-constituencies-leads-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1336568/scrap-or-keep-debate-functional-constituencies-leads-us?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Oct 2013 09:15:45 +0000 Next September, the Apec finance ministers' meeting will be held in Hong Kong as China plays host. The gathering presents a golden opportunity for a breakthrough in Beijing-Taipei relations and Hong Kong can play a crucial role. Last Sunday, President Xi Jinping met Taiwan's envoy and former vice-president, Vincent Siew, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in Bali, and expressed his desire for closer relations. Then, Wang Yu-chi, head of Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, met Zhang... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1327933/how-hong-kong-can-help-further-cross-strait-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1327933/how-hong-kong-can-help-further-cross-strait-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Hong Kong has long put off formulating and enacting a political party law. But if political reform is to move forward, now is the best time to debate whether such a law is in the city's best interests. Opponents turn a blind eye to the real benefits of such a law. First and foremost, political parties - which are currently registered under the Companies Ordinance - can be defined concretely. This would enable them to receive government subsidies when participating in legislative and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1319283/party-politics-can-usher-effective-governance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1319283/party-politics-can-usher-effective-governance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Sep 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Mainland China's anti-corruption campaign has been gathering pace since Xi Jinping became president in March. Members of the Politburo's Standing Committee reportedly voted against a proposal this summer to adopt a Hong-Kong-style amnesty of corrupt officials. Despite the fact that some China watchers believe the mainland has much to learn from the Hong Kong model of fighting corruption, the reality is that Beijing's approach will remain a far cry from that of Hong Kong. First and foremost, the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1302736/hong-kongs-anti-corruption-model-wont-work-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1302736/hong-kongs-anti-corruption-model-wont-work-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Sep 2013 16:00:00 +0000 The recent resignation of political assistant Henry Ho Kin-chung and media criticism of development secretary Paul Chan Mo-po have again highlighted the problem of governability in Hong Kong. But is the problem one of integrity of appointed officials? Or is it due to the proportional representation system, as Executive Council convenor Lam Woon-kwong said? In fact, the problem lies elsewhere: it is the fragmented coalition, or the lack of leadership, that accounts for the current political... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1296159/legcos-fractured-coalition-has-created-leadership-void?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1296159/legcos-fractured-coalition-has-created-leadership-void?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Aug 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Few local commentators have examined how the Occupy Central movement next year may result in violence, but there are several scenarios that could lead to such a conclusion. The pan-democrats, including the moderates spearheading the movement and those cross-party actors in the Alliance for Universal Suffrage, hope to use the movement as a bargaining chip to exert pressure on the Hong Kong government and Beijing to make concessions on electoral reforms for the chief executive and Legislative... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1272516/violence-real-worry-during-occupy-central?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1272516/violence-real-worry-during-occupy-central?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Jun 2013 16:00:00 +0000 It may be difficult to change the Legislative Council in a way that is acceptable to both Beijing and democrats, but it is not impossible. Beijing's bottom line is obvious: the 50-50 split between functional constituency members and those returned in geographical constituencies must remain, to maintain the dominance of the pro-establishment forces. But there are still a number of alternatives that can be considered. Designing political models that are acceptable to both Beijing and the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1255774/win-win-political-reform-solution-possible-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1255774/win-win-political-reform-solution-possible-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:00:00 +0000