https://www.scmp.com/rss/42106/feed According to a National People's Congress Standing Committee resolution in 2007, Hong Kong's chief executive may be elected by universal suffrage. Pan-democratic lawmakers and pro-democracy activists in the city vehemently opposed an election framework passed by Beijing on August 31, 2014, arguing it failed to reach international standards for a truly democratic and open election. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ronny Tong Ronny Tong Hong Kong’s Democratic Party has announced what many people had been expecting for some time – that it would disband. For the party, this is the beginning of the end; for others, the question lingers: is this also the end of the democratic movement in Hong Kong? One thing is certain: the party’s demise will mark the end of an era, one when a colonial pressure-group mentality dictated the quest for democratic reforms in Hong Kong, a mentality which, sadly, was destined to ensure failure of the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3336471/end-road-hong-kongs-democracy-movement-theres-still-hope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3336471/end-road-hong-kongs-democracy-movement-theres-still-hope?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Dong Lei Dong Lei Last week’s deadly fire has cast a heavy shadow over Hong Kong, reminding us of the fragility of life and the need for solidarity in hard times. The central government has responded swiftly with its full attention and support. Aid and sympathy have poured in from across China, underscoring that Hong Kong’s pain is shared. The cause of the fire must be investigated and learned from in due course, but for now the priority is resilience. The announcement that the Legislative Council election will... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3334960/legco-poll-chance-hong-kong-show-its-resilience-after-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3334960/legco-poll-chance-hong-kong-show-its-resilience-after-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Willa Wu Willa Wu After the imposition of a wide-ranging national security law in Hong Kong in 2020, the Democratic Party effectively became the only sizeable opposition party left on the scene and its announcement last week of an impending closure has reignited debate on the city’s politics. In reality though, the party has been a pale shadow of its former self for several years now, riding on a reputation built in the past and reeling from the effects of a drastically changed political environment. Still, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3299815/tracing-rise-and-fall-hong-kongs-democratic-party-now-facing-oblivion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3299815/tracing-rise-and-fall-hong-kongs-democratic-party-now-facing-oblivion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Feb 2025 00:30:13 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Earlier this month, HK Express announced changes to its cabin baggage policy. Passengers travelling on the “Ultra Lite” option (that is, the cheapest fare) are only entitled to bring on board a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3263071/new-hk-express-fare-option-gives-travellers-more-choice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3263071/new-hk-express-fare-option-gives-travellers-more-choice?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 May 2024 03:30:08 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Passing Article 23 legislation earlier this year was no small feat for Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government and the Legislative Council deserve credit for acting decisively and diligently. There can... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3261696/3-bold-ways-within-our-reach-lift-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3261696/3-bold-ways-within-our-reach-lift-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 May 2024 06:30:15 +0000 Hong Kong’s ability to recover from its difficulties would be much improved if it goes ahead with democratic reform. By introducing a system of one person, one vote for the position of chief executive, Hong Kong would have a government with much broader representation, giving it a stronger mandate to push through changes. Universal suffrage is already included in Article 45 of the Basic Law that governs Hong Kong, but no one is sure when and how it might be implemented. Hong Kong should delay... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hk-opinion/article/3257425/hong-kong-needs-full-universal-suffrage-unlock-full-potential?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hk-opinion/article/3257425/hong-kong-needs-full-universal-suffrage-unlock-full-potential?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Apr 2024 01:30:11 +0000 On January 26, the executive committee of the UK’s branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association announced that it had unanimously agreed to withdraw the invitation to two Hong Kong legislators to attend the 2023 Westminster seminar on effective parliaments, due to the “deteriorating situation in Hong Kong”. The committee lambasted Hong Kong for the alleged “serious erosion of political plurality and participation”. On democracy, the committee totally missed the point. Democracy comes in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3208546/why-democratic-uk-should-treasure-chance-interact-hong-kong-legislators?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3208546/why-democratic-uk-should-treasure-chance-interact-hong-kong-legislators?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Feb 2023 03:30:14 +0000 A popular Hong Kong tourist attraction in the 1970s and 80s was a trip to the Lok Ma Chau border. Visitors were taken to a hillside viewpoint where they could gaze in wonder at communist China across the river. The idea of returning the freewheeling, capitalist British colony to a China still in the early stages of economic reform and opening up was challenging. To do so while maintaining Hong Kong’s way of life seemed like mission impossible. But this was the deal struck in 1984. The... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3183488/hong-kongs-new-chapter-under-john-lee-calls-reflecting-tumultuous?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3183488/hong-kongs-new-chapter-under-john-lee-calls-reflecting-tumultuous?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jul 2022 01:15:18 +0000 At the launch of his leadership campaign during a virtual press conference, chief executive candidate John Lee Ka-chiu listed three main objectives: build a results-oriented administration, enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness, and consolidate the city’s foundation. When his name first began to circulate in connection with the role, many assumed that Beijing wanted the new chief executive to put national security front and centre. Lee’s statement makes it clear that Beijing expects much... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3173844/how-hong-kong-chief-executive-hopeful-john-lee-can-raise-bar-if?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3173844/how-hong-kong-chief-executive-hopeful-john-lee-can-raise-bar-if?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Apr 2022 00:15:09 +0000 For thousands of years, political philosophers have searched for a model of government best suited for their societies. In Plato’s republic, philosopher-kings are preferred. In the Politics, Aristotle’s treatise on governance, he identifies six forms of government – kingship, tyranny, aristocracy, oligarchy, polity, and democracy. A mixed regime is preferred because none of the six is perfect. In Aristotle’s political world, political distinctions are determined by social classes. Oligarchy is... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3166661/hong-kong-must-wake-its-blind-faith-one-man-one-vote-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3166661/hong-kong-must-wake-its-blind-faith-one-man-one-vote-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Feb 2022 01:45:14 +0000 In a free and liberal society, it is not easy to define who is a “patriot”. For instance, many supporters of former US president Donald Trump, waving the national flag, would say that he was a patriot, striving to “make America great again”. Other citizens, however, claim he is a traitor to the US constitution. In such a fractured society, it is difficult to find unanimity within the adult population on a subject as amorphous as “patriotism”. Settled societies do not spring into life perfectly... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3166516/patriots-driving-seat-upholding-basic-law-hong-kong-pointing-right?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3166516/patriots-driving-seat-upholding-basic-law-hong-kong-pointing-right?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Feb 2022 01:45:20 +0000 More than a week before Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election under a Beijing-imposed overhaul was held on December 19, the State Council’s white paper on the city’s democratic development was completed and ready to be released at any time. The “publish” button was pressed 11 seconds past 10am the following day. The official document, titled “Hong Kong Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”, saw the light of day nine minutes before all election results were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3161325/unpacking-white-paper-hong-kong-democracy-why-now-and-what?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3161325/unpacking-white-paper-hong-kong-democracy-why-now-and-what?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Dec 2021 13:30:17 +0000 A top Hong Kong official has fired a fresh salvo at the United States, describing the country as “plagued” with social problems that expose its leadership to be “anti-democracy”. Echoing Beijing outrage against Western governments, Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu on Thursday said there was no “one-size-fits-all” standard for democracy and that every jurisdiction would follow its own path based on the actual circumstances. Mainland Chinese officials began advancing that position weeks ago in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3160887/hong-kong-no-2-official-says-united-states-plagued-social?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3160887/hong-kong-no-2-official-says-united-states-plagued-social?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Dec 2021 16:23:29 +0000 The general election for the seventh-term Legislative Council of Hong Kong took place last Sunday, signifying the development of Hong Kong’s democracy under the improved electoral system. The white paper titled “Hong Kong: Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”, released by the central government on Monday, further reveals the real picture of Hong Kong’s political development. It shows that the Communist Party and the Chinese government support the development of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3160657/white-paper-underlines-hong-kongs-healthy-shift-away-western-style?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3160657/white-paper-underlines-hong-kongs-healthy-shift-away-western-style?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Dec 2021 22:45:20 +0000 A Beijing white paper renewing its pledge to pursue the ultimate goal of electing Hong Kong’s leader and legislature by universal suffrage has sparked debate over one question: is it just a token gesture or a genuine commitment towards full democracy? A former minister and the only non-establishment candidate returned in Sunday’s Legislative Council election saw it as a positive sign, saying it opened a window to attaining the goal stated in the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution. Tik... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3160594/token-gesture-or-genuine-resolve-beijings-fresh-vow-pursue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3160594/token-gesture-or-genuine-resolve-beijings-fresh-vow-pursue?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Dec 2021 14:36:18 +0000 Many Hongkongers are closely watching the upcoming Legislative Council election. Since it is the first legislative election since the improvement of the electoral system, many consider this to be a benchmark of how much dissent Beijing would allow in the new political order. With a handful of non-establishment candidates fulfilling the nomination threshold, Beijing evidently is prepared to invite diverse political participation in constructive policy debates. Some may disagree with the electoral... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3155710/legco-election-hongkongers-must-speak-through-ballot-box?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3155710/legco-election-hongkongers-must-speak-through-ballot-box?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Nov 2021 22:30:20 +0000 Watching recent coverage of families torn apart by the mass exodus out of Hong Kong in search of “freedom”, I wondered if those who are leaving really know what kind of “freedom” they are getting themselves into. Being from Canada, I probably take that freedom for granted. However, since I do live here, I might be willing to give up some of this freedom in exchange for some competence. With the passing of the national security law in Hong Kong, criticising the government is pretty much... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3147841/hongkongers-moving-canada-democracy-are-rude-shock?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3147841/hongkongers-moving-canada-democracy-are-rude-shock?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Sep 2021 23:05:09 +0000 A number of interesting questions arise when looking ahead to the Legislative Council elections in December. The answers will determine the stance of the different parties as they plan their participation. We need to start with a quick recap of what our legislature will look like after recent reforms. The number of seats will increase from 70 to 90. The Election Committee, newly expanded from 1,200 to 1,500, can elect 40 of its members to Legco. The number of functional constituency seats will... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3145788/what-expect-elections-hong-kongs-reformed-legislature?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3145788/what-expect-elections-hong-kongs-reformed-legislature?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Aug 2021 05:30:17 +0000 History often has several versions of events, depending on which side is telling the story. Two years on, the protests that for months brought Hong Kong to a standstill are portrayed by Beijing and its supporters as being a violent “colour revolution”. I remember them differently; they began as huge, peaceful demonstrations centred on democratic ideals that in their later stages were hijacked by a minority of radicals with ulterior motives. To represent the movement that brought hundreds of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3137138/hong-kong-protests-colour-revolution-or-peaceful-demonstrations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3137138/hong-kong-protests-colour-revolution-or-peaceful-demonstrations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jun 2021 22:45:00 +0000 Hong Kong needs to reinvent itself. The national security law has provided some breathing space, but it cannot cure all the ills of Hong Kong society, including widespread frustration over high living costs, unaffordable housing and an economic system that benefits a privileged few but leaves out ordinary people. The truth is that the extreme form of capitalism that served Hong Kong so well in the 20th century – laissez-faire policies that permitted a blind pursuit of corporate profits – has... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3136437/lets-build-more-inclusive-hong-kong-and-put-peoples-happiness-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3136437/lets-build-more-inclusive-hong-kong-and-put-peoples-happiness-first?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jun 2021 22:45:00 +0000 Is democracy in decline, retreat or under siege? In recent times, many have been agonising over a lost golden age of democracy, freedom and the rule-based world order. The English word democracy comes from the Greek words “demos” (people) and “kratos” (rule). Today, democracy is usually taken to mean a system of government in which the majority rules, with consideration for minority rights. One of the most well known definitions of democracy is Abraham Lincoln’s “government of the people, for... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3132570/democracy-decline-retreat-or-under-siege-more-work-progress?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3132570/democracy-decline-retreat-or-under-siege-more-work-progress?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 May 2021 00:45:11 +0000 I am responding to the letter, “Imagine a fresh start in political overhaul of city” (April 27). I am inclined to agree with the first part of the letter, which said the Hong Kong government did not do a good job of looking after Hongkongers’ livelihoods, leading to runaway housing prices and a big wealth gap. The extradition bill thus acted as a spark that eventually set the forest afire. Government incompetence was surely partly responsible for the unrest. However, your correspondent raised... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3131417/beijing-sincere-about-one-country-two-systems-hong-kong-just-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3131417/beijing-sincere-about-one-country-two-systems-hong-kong-just-not?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Apr 2021 22:55:04 +0000 The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) adopted the amended Annex I to the Basic Law on Method for the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and Annex II to the Basic Law on Method for the Formation of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong SAR and its Voting Procedures on March 30. The amendments aim to establish a political structure that conforms to the “one country, two systems” principle, is suited to the actual situation... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3128664/hong-kong-electoral-reform-has-neither-breached-sino-british-joint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3128664/hong-kong-electoral-reform-has-neither-breached-sino-british-joint?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Apr 2021 00:30:17 +0000 I wholeheartedly support the recent electoral overhaul in Hong Kong. In his column of April 1, Alex Lo disagrees with former chief executive Leung Chun-ying that the electoral system has become more democratic. Rather, Lo justifies the “top-down” move as a necessity in light of the social unrest in 2019. Firstly, I wonder what he thinks of the British parliament then, with its lower chamber fused with the executive and upper chamber composed entirely of political appointees. If Britain can have... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3128352/hong-kong-electoral-reform-why-i-support-return-democratic-elitism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3128352/hong-kong-electoral-reform-why-i-support-return-democratic-elitism?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Apr 2021 22:45:11 +0000 Has 2047 arrived early for Hong Kong’s electoral politics? Having created functional constituencies to ensure safe hands would dominate the Legislative Council in the final years of British rule, the departing colonial authorities opened a few seats to direct election and infused the legislature with a sense of importance, such as by introducing governor’s question time. Beijing was willing to let Hong Kong experiment with elections then. It assumed that by 2007, a decade after the transition,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3125821/hong-kong-election-reform-beijing-demanding-loyalty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/hong-kong/article/3125821/hong-kong-election-reform-beijing-demanding-loyalty?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Mar 2021 01:15:16 +0000 The 4th session of the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) of China held recently made a decision to improve Hong Kong’s electoral system. The purpose is to provide an institutional guarantee for the principle of “patriots governing Hong Kong”, and ultimately for the long-term implementation of “one country, two systems”. To gain an accurate understanding, let me share with you the following perspectives. First and foremost, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is a subnational... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3125327/patriots-governing-hong-kong-one-country-two-systems-guaranteed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3125327/patriots-governing-hong-kong-one-country-two-systems-guaranteed?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Mar 2021 17:00:16 +0000 By now, Hongkongers realise the US has interfered in Hong Kong affairs, though not everyone understands the US’ ultimate goal is to destabilise and weaken China. Any jurisdiction that has been Americanised, such as Taiwan or South Korea, has to depend heavily on the US for defence. They have to depend on and obey Washington. This is not true independence. Today’s China is truly independent, with the weapons to protect itself. Independence is what the Chinese have wished for since the Qing... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3121120/why-hong-kong-should-not-be-obsessed-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3121120/why-hong-kong-should-not-be-obsessed-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Feb 2021 22:20:09 +0000 The question of how Hong Kong’s chief executive should be chosen has again been in the spotlight, along with wider concerns about the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertainty over the city’s political future. While some have suggested that the current arrangements should be scrapped in favour of consensus-based consultation, others have insisted that an elected chief executive – albeit by only a select group of electors – remains preferable to one chosen behind closed... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3120056/elected-or-not-hong-kongs-chief-executive-must-serve-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3120056/elected-or-not-hong-kongs-chief-executive-must-serve-people?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Feb 2021 22:45:13 +0000 It has been a year since the double whammy of violent protests and the Covid-19 pandemic hit Hong Kong, and it may be time for cautious optimism for those of us concerned about its future. Hongkongers are tough and resilient, and the city has had its share of pandemics – the 1894 plague killed more than 8,600 people in seven years. Other natural disasters such as typhoons killed thousands and left tens of thousands homeless; the Shek Kip Mei fire on Christmas Day 1953 destroyed the homes of... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3116675/after-all-hong-kong-has-been-through-why-i-still-have-faith-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3116675/after-all-hong-kong-has-been-through-why-i-still-have-faith-city?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Jan 2021 23:00:10 +0000 The unprecedented and devastating social unrest in the second half of 2019 left a permanent scar on our already polarised city. In the name of democracy, we saw radical elements go on the rampage, throwing petrol bombs, occupying university campuses and even beating up those who dared to stand up against them (“Victims of Hong Kong’s violent protesters have rights, too”, December 22). Although the protest movement cooled down over the past year amid the raging pandemic, name-calling,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3115956/asking-democracy-hong-kong-rights-champions-must-live-democratic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3115956/asking-democracy-hong-kong-rights-champions-must-live-democratic?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Jan 2021 22:45:08 +0000 Just once I want to hear a policy address that doesn’t put me to sleep or drive me to drink. Last week’s was a double whammy: within minutes I was drinking in my sleep. To be fair, it was not a complete disaster. There were some parts I quite liked. But there were also missed opportunities and some important areas were completely omitted. The good news is that the section on land for housing seemed quite strong. I counted more than a dozen sites and categories of land with indicative timings and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3111688/once-again-political-reform-left-out-carrie-lams-policy-address?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3111688/once-again-political-reform-left-out-carrie-lams-policy-address?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Nov 2020 20:00:15 +0000 Chef Sunny Zie lived a lifetime in those seven days. Cooking non-stop, he says, he survived on barely any food and no more than nine hours’ sleep in total on a cold, tiled floor, on the verge of liver failure. “I was afraid that if I ate too much I would fall into a relaxed state and then a deep sleep. But I had to stay awake to cook for the protesters and help them recharge their batteries,” Zie says. The 39-year-old Hong Kong chef remembers his “cooking battle” in a Hong Kong Polytechnic... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3109228/hong-kong-protests-chef-polyu-siege-recalls-trauma-cooking-more-1000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3109228/hong-kong-protests-chef-polyu-siege-recalls-trauma-cooking-more-1000?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Nov 2020 23:15:19 +0000 I am both a Hongkonger and a Californian. I have voted in every election in the United States since 2000. After a few contentious presidential elections, namely Al Gore versus George W Bush and Hillary Clinton versus Donald Trump, I have come to painfully accept that my vote, and many millions of other votes, have zero impact on who becomes the next US president. I want to share this with my beloved Hongkongers who believe that universal suffrage can address the deep-rooted challenges facing the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3107339/what-us-election-president-tells-hong-kong-about-universal-suffrage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3107339/what-us-election-president-tells-hong-kong-about-universal-suffrage?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Oct 2020 22:25:14 +0000 With less than a month until the US presidential election, 14 million Americans have already voted. Even though US President Donald Trump tested positive for Covid-19, he has continued to put on a strong and undefeatable face for the cameras. In reality, though, he is losing ground and is going all-in to turn the tide. Throughout his campaign, Trump has mocked his Democrat opponent, former US vice-president Joe Biden, as a senior citizen who stutters, lacks energy and is always sleepy. However,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3105623/us-presidential-election-hong-kong-democrats-need-not-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3105623/us-presidential-election-hong-kong-democrats-need-not-support?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Oct 2020 20:15:10 +0000 I refer to the letter, “Will Beijing succeed in Singapore-ising Hong Kong?” (August 24). As Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew suggested, given China’s long history and culture, China knows what suits China. Circumstances in Singapore produced a leader who was creative and used independent thinking. He knew the needs of a country – stability and a strong economy. Hence, he suppressed foreign interference by decolonising Singapore. He focused on the economy and social order. He united... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3099703/unlike-singapore-hong-kong-still-suffers-foreign-interference?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3099703/unlike-singapore-hong-kong-still-suffers-foreign-interference?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2020 22:40:16 +0000 I write to echo the views of Professor Anthony Cheung in his article of August 12, “Hong Kong needs a win in democratic progress, however small”. As Winston Churchill once said: “Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others that have been tried from time to time.” I have to point out, though, that while democracy provides a relatively peaceful method for people to deal with differences and disputes, it should not be the ultimate goal – as it... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3097381/why-hong-kongs-2015-political-reform-plan-deserves-another-airing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3097381/why-hong-kongs-2015-political-reform-plan-deserves-another-airing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Aug 2020 23:25:12 +0000 I am writing in response to Regina Ip’s opinion piece on August 16, supporting the continued deprivation of electoral democracy for the people of Hong Kong (“Why Hong Kong does not need more democracy right now”). Mrs Ip blames the city’s “chaos and instability” on the people’s thirst for universal suffrage, and cites the gridlock in the Legislative Council. Rather, it is obvious that the gridlock is caused by the lack of universal suffrage, resulting in a contorted legislature. The opposition... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3097642/hong-kongs-political-gridlock-result-lack-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3097642/hong-kongs-political-gridlock-result-lack-democracy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Aug 2020 22:35:07 +0000 I am upset, if not furious, about the comments made by P.Y. Chan in his letter dated August 5 (“What Hong Kong’s banned Legco hopefuls fail to grasp”). I doubt if Chan, from faraway Ontario, understands the implications of the disqualification of 12 Legislative Council candidates here. Chan mentioned sovereignty. What about the autonomy promised by the Joint Declaration? It has already been overridden by the national security law, which was passed arbitrarily in a rush, and in which Hongkongers... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3097356/hong-kong-voters-just-want-say-their-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3097356/hong-kong-voters-just-want-say-their-future?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Aug 2020 23:10:12 +0000 Ever since the future of postcolonial Hong Kong became an issue in the early 1980s, the quest for universal suffrage, narrowly equated with democracy, has in some quarters become the be all and end all of the “one country, two systems” project. The outgoing British rulers deftly managed to escape censure for not granting Hongkongers universal suffrage much earlier, but China got blamed for allegedly breaking its “promise” of democracy in the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the future of Hong... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3097364/why-hong-kong-does-not-need-more-democracy-right-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3097364/why-hong-kong-does-not-need-more-democracy-right-now?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Aug 2020 00:00:14 +0000 On reflection, post-1997 Hong Kong charts the history of an uphill battle for democracy. To many, we now seem to be back at square one. The Basic Law allows for the transition from a partial democracy to full electoral democracy, subject to constitutional review and consensus. This laid the ground for a continuous tug of war between the pan-democratic camp demanding “double universal suffrage” – for electing both the chief executive and the legislature – and Beijing insisting on gradual change... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3096838/hong-kong-needs-win-democratic-progress-however-small?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3096838/hong-kong-needs-win-democratic-progress-however-small?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Aug 2020 22:15:15 +0000 On July 28, the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI) released a survey which found that satisfaction with the Hong Kong government was at 19 per cent while Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s approval rating was 18 per cent. The chief executive is widely unpopular, yet she continues to hold the job. This unpopularity is not entirely self-inflicted,however. Beijing has helpfully stabbed Lam a few times in the back, if rumours are true, by refusing to let her resign,... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3096321/hong-kong-national-security-law-stick-place-will-city-get-carrot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3096321/hong-kong-national-security-law-stick-place-will-city-get-carrot?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Aug 2020 22:35:09 +0000 As the decades of disillusionment with the political establishment in Hong Kong came to a head over the past year, the room for centrism has seemed, at best, minimal. At worst, it appears to be a broken promise worshipped by a dwindling, deluded crowd. The track record of centrists has not been too reassuring, either. Some of the more vocal advocates had joined the establishment with the apparent mission of incorporating into governance milder and more progressive opinions, only for the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3095350/national-security-law-place-hong-kongs-centrists-should-now-seek?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3095350/national-security-law-place-hong-kongs-centrists-should-now-seek?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Aug 2020 02:45:10 +0000 I refer to Gordon Choi’s letter, “National security law, US sanctions: Hong Kong’s ‘mutual destruction’ is going to plan” (July 20). “Mutual destruction” or laam caau, of course, could be calamitous for Hong Kong, and hardly anyone would believe this to be a desirable outcome. However, the interpretation of “mutual destruction” varies greatly. The city’s opposition camp is trying to secure a legislative majority in the coming election cycle to gain leverage against Beijing and pressure the local... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3094102/hong-kong-elections-opposition-majority-can-restore-balance-divided?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3094102/hong-kong-elections-opposition-majority-can-restore-balance-divided?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jul 2020 22:30:08 +0000 The results of the opposition primaries, part of a plan to secure over 35 seats in the Legislative Council, indicate that many Hongkongers are tired of traditional pan-democrats, who have perhaps been regarded as the villains on the road to democracy in Hong Kong. I am not trying to start a generational battle, but it is crystal clear that people are more willing to put their faith in radical, unknown young localists who believe in “mutual destruction”, instead of the old approach advocated by... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3094017/radical-hong-kong-legislative-council-candidates-must-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3094017/radical-hong-kong-legislative-council-candidates-must-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jul 2020 23:25:05 +0000 The Legislative Council election is fast approaching. Buoyed by last year’s landslide victory in the district council election, the opposition parties have vowed to upend the political landscape by achieving their goal of a “35-plus” majority which could serve as a powerful tool to pressure the government. To boost their chances, the opposition camp organised an unprecedented primary election to filter out candidates who are less popular. With young activists outperforming the old-school... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3093878/hong-kong-elections-can-good-sense-and-middle-ground-prove-winner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3093878/hong-kong-elections-can-good-sense-and-middle-ground-prove-winner?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jul 2020 23:45:10 +0000 People say it is the final nail in the coffin. The enactment of the national security law certified the end of all sorts of freedoms and “one country, two systems”. At least that is what the anti-establishment has been telling us in sombre tones. This seems ironic, given that many sources say they had “lobbied” foreign countries to sanction Hong Kong and suspend the city’s special tariff status, hammering in this final nail. Beijing is responsible for whatever consequences the city faces, but... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3093630/national-security-law-us-sanctions-hong-kongs-mutual-destruction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3093630/national-security-law-us-sanctions-hong-kongs-mutual-destruction?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Jul 2020 23:35:06 +0000 Most ordinary citizens like myself are unlikely to be the direct target of Hong Kong’s new national security law, although I do recognise the chilling effect it may have. However, I worry more about the future of public discourse in Hong Kong. Have we lost our ability to engage in meaningful conversations? If we are unable to engage in constructive public discussions, what is left? Tribalism? Numbness? Social Darwinism? Hong Kong went through a year where reason was thrown out by both political... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3092995/hong-kong-after-protests-divided-city-cant-heal-if-we-cant-talk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3092995/hong-kong-after-protests-divided-city-cant-heal-if-we-cant-talk?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jul 2020 23:00:09 +0000 “Whatever the challenges ahead, nothing should bring this meteor crashing to earth, nothing should snuff out its glow. I hope that Hong Kong will take tomorrow by storm. And when it does, history will stand and cheer.” So concluded the historic remarks made in the last British policy address by Mr Chris Patten, the former and last governor of Hong Kong – an accurate prophecy. With the introduction of the national security law, uncertainty about Hong Kong’s future is deepening, and the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3092374/what-hong-kong-needs-rational-moderate-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3092374/what-hong-kong-needs-rational-moderate-party?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jul 2020 00:00:09 +0000 Primaries for pan-democratic candidates running in the city’s upcoming September Legislative Council election are to be held over the coming weekend. They are part of the “35-plus” campaign that co-founder of the 2014 Occupy protests Benny Tai Yiu-ting hatched for pan-democrats to win a majority in the legislature and become, in Tai’s words, a “massive constitutional weapon” to veto the budget and disrupt the government. The plan is (was?) to ride on the electoral momentum of the district... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3091749/why-hong-kong-democrats-should-look-macaus-opposition-lawmakers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3091749/why-hong-kong-democrats-should-look-macaus-opposition-lawmakers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jul 2020 22:30:15 +0000 Recently, there have been a lot of comments from the pan-democrats that the national security law designed for Hong Kong was being made in a black box without consultation. The reason is that the city’s pan-democrats clearly don’t know how to play politics. The so-called art of politics is to “compromise” and “be water,” but they have ignored these principles. A political reform package was put forward in 2014 for the direct election of our chief executive. They said the proposed mechanism was... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3091059/hong-kong-has-national-security-law-pan-democrats-have-no-room?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3091059/hong-kong-has-national-security-law-pan-democrats-have-no-room?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Jul 2020 00:00:15 +0000