Benny Tai (left) says Occupy Central would have a far-reaching impact on the city’s political culture. Li Fei says Beijing will decisively make its decision on Hong Kong. Photo: HKEJ
Beijing will not give in to those who threaten to launch any radical illegal movement in Hong Kong, Li Fei, chairman of Beijing’s Basic Law Committee, said.
“If we cave in this time, there will be more and bigger illegal activities, and neither Hong Kong nor China will have peace in the end,” RTHK reported Li as saying.
“Some people have said Hong Kong has already reached a critical point or the coming events cast their shadows before them,” Li said in Shenzhen after a meeting on electoral reform.
In describing Hong Kong’s political stalemate, he quoted the words of Deng Xiaoping who said, “we will make our decision and have the courage to face any disaster”, during his meeting with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1982.
Li said: “Today we will also make the historical choice decisively with the same determination and courage.
“There will be a way out if we compromise on minor things but we have to stick with principles in key issues.”
Occupy Central organizer Benny Tai Yiu-ting said his movement would trigger a massive social response and ignite large-scale uncooperative activity to force Beijing to adjust its stances.
“Even if Beijing did nothing, Occupy Central would bring far-reaching impact in the city’s political culture,” Tai said.
“Beijing may know the forthcoming electoral reform proposal won’t comply with international standards as requested by the pan-democrats and Occupy Central is set to take place. Therefore, Beijing may try to place the blame on pan-democrats and Occupy Central,” Tai wrote in a newspaper article.
It is difficult to tell whether Hong Kong citizens would blame Beijing, the Hong Kong government or the pan-democrats if there is no political reform, he said.
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