Democracy Dispatch: Former CEO calls for unity, Britain keen for inquiry, Occupy Central ever defiant
By Coconuts Hong Kong, 4 Sep 2014 04:12 0 comments
Hong Kong’s first Chief Executive after the end of British rule has called for unity in the democracy dispute and for China to stand by its promise.
"Hong Kong is our home, we have to work together," Tung Chee-hwa, who was handpicked by China for the role, said in a speech. "The only way out, and the only way forward, is through working together, hand in hand, otherwise there will be no end to bitter squabbles and the paralysis."
Tung himself was forced to step down from his post two years early due to a half-million strong anti-government rally prompted by his plans for an anti-subversion bill.
Meanwhile, former British governor of Hong Kong, Chris Pattern, has ignored China’s accusations of “meddling” and insisted that an inquiry will go ahead as Britain has a moral obligation to ensure China honours the commitments it made under the ‘one country, two systems” agreement.
"We have a huge stake in the wellbeing of Hong Kong, with a political system in balance with its economic freedom," he wrote in a letter to the Financial Times.
In a press briefing yesterday, Chinese ministry spokesman, Qin Gang, did not mince his words. "Today's Hong Kong is not the Hong Kong of 1997,” Qin said, according to The Guardian. "The affairs of Hong Kong special administrative region are China's domestic affairs, and we oppose outside interference in those affairs in any form."
The leaders of pro-democracy movement Occupy Central have vowed to take over Hong Kong’s financial district on an unspecified date after Beijing ruled out fully democratic elections in 2017 on Sunday.
Despite reports of the democracy movement losing momentum due to the pragmatic nature of Hongkongers, leader Benny Tai told Reuters, "The decision unites every one of us. So we are more united than before[…] We must continue and demonstrate”.
http://hongkong.coconuts.co/2014/09/04/democracy-dispatch-former-ceo-calls-unity-britain-keen-inquiry-occupy-central-ever
