Chen Zuo’er (L), a former top Beijing official, said no country will allow 'terrorists' to run for office, prompting a rejoinder from Chan Kin-man (R), an organizer of Hong Kong's Occupy Central movement. Photo: HKEJ
Ex-Beijing official has harsh words for HK democrats
Any person running for Hong Kong’s top political post must love the city as well as the Chinese motherland, said Chen Zuo’er, a former deputy director of the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office.
“Chief Executive must love China and Hong Kong,” Chen Zuo’er told RTHK in an interview, asserting that such requirement is “perfectly justified”.
Even a country such as United States “won’t let terrorists to serve as governors”, Chen was quoted as saying.
He said many pan-democrats and Hong Kong citizens are patriotic, but declined to comment when asked if former Civic Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee and Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing met this requirement.
“I won’t talk or make friends with traitors or Hong Kong separatists,” Chen said, adding that if Eu and Lau are not such types of people, he can make friends with them.
Chan Kin-man, one of the organizers of the Occupy Central movement, said Chen might not have proper understanding of the election system in the US.
The candidate requirement for president, vice president and congressmen are quite simple in the US, such as age or citizenship. As for regional elections, some states impose restrictions on who can contest, but the curbs are only on those who have committed serious crimes, he pointed out.
It’s very “inappropriate” to talk about candidates from pan-democratic camp and terrorists in the same breath, Chan said, adding that nobody in Hong Kong thinks pan-democrats would pose a threat to Hong Kong and China.
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