On Oct 19, Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying accused foreign forces of intervening in Hong Kong's politics and participating in Occupy Central.
This was refuted by the groups of Occupy Central and Members of Pan-Democratic Parties of Hong Kong.
On Oct 20, C Y Leung told the foreign media that the reason for opposing the current plan of universal suffrage raised by the Mainland, is the risk of low- income residents becoming the dominant political voice.
These remarks cause him more controversy in recent days.
On Oct 19 Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said in a video interview with English station ATV, foreign forces have always intervened in Hong Kong's politics.
Occupy Central movement is also
involved with external forces of different countries, but he declined to specify what country or cite examples.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying repeated this statement the next day.
Just after Leung Chun-ying'sassertion was published, an initiator of "Occupy Central in peace" Chan Kin-man,
Scholarism founder Joshua Wong,
and Chairman of Next Media Group Jimmy Lai all required Leung to provide evidence for his remarks.
Chan Kin-man also said that
this shows Hong Kong has become more and more like Mainland China: when the government was unable to deal with the civil forces, then they discredited them.
In addition, 26 Legislative Council members of the pan-democratic parties sent a letter to the Chief Executive's Office, condemning Leung Chun-ying's remarks, and asked him to come up with evidence.
True Universal Suffrage Alliance convener Joseph Yu-shek Cheng: "Our position is very simple.
First, you said foreign forces intervene,
then please evidence it. If anyone involved in the democracy movement violates the law, then you can prosecute him according to the law.
If you have no evidence, please don't talk nonsense.
As a head of the Hong Kong government, to make such remarks is very irresponsible."
Professor Joseph Yu-shek Cheng believes that if there is tangible evidence, the government can completely rely on international law to deal with it.
Joseph Cheng: "If foreign governments commit illegal acts, or inappropriate behavior, then the Chinese government
must protest through diplomatic channels, and expel relevant diplomats according to international practice and international law."
Although the "foreign intervention" remark has been controversial, Leung Chun-ying on the 20th night in the Guest House made another puzzling remark
to "New York Times", "Wall Street Journal" and the "Financial Times".
He said that it was unacceptableto allow his successors to be chosen in open elections, in part because doing so
would risk giving poorer residents a dominant voice in politics.
He said that "broadly representative"
for the Nominating Committee is not numeric representation.
If it is entirely a numbers game and numeric representation, then obviously you would be talking to half of the people in Hong Kong who earn less than $1,800 a month.
This would make policies preferential to them.
Mr Li Shankan is an independent commentator on China's issues. He says: "He said he did not accept open election because if elected in that case,
the lower class people will dominate the election results. This logic is in fact more strange.
Seemingly, this logic should be completely opposite to the CCP's theories of agitating the public to rebel in the early period."
Joseph Yu-shek Cheng: "This statement is clearly contrary to the principles of democracy.
According to Leung Chun-ying's interpretation of democracy, then no country needs to promote democracy and one-person one-vote.
All the leaders across generations of the CCP said "the people. are the masters of the country", so is such a remark from Leung Chun-ying to deny this statement of the CCP heads? Or to accuse them of telling a lie?"
So why does Leung Chun-ying use an excuse which contradicts the principle of CCP leaders, to deny the feasibility of universal suffrage?
Li Shankan: "I think he completely diverted the discussion topic. He did not dare to point out the core of the event.
What are the reasons for this Occupy Central?
It is the promise that the CCP gave in that time about Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong. The CCP made a promise to let Hong Kong people carry out universal suffrage, but now they don't dare to keep the promise.
This is completely breaking the promise."
Professor Joseph Yu-shek Cheng pointed out that at present considerable dissatisfaction exists in Hong Kong society, which is rooted in the collaboration between officials and merchants.
They cannot allow the general public to share the fruits of economic properity.
On one hand the disparity between rich and poor is growing, and on another, the government's policies gave preference to the big companies.
Therefore, Professor Cheng believes that this attitude from Leung Chun-ying, in fact, is the basic root cause of social conflicts in Hong Kong.
This is also the most basic motivation
of the current movement of Occupy Central demanding democracy.
Interview/Zhu Zhishan Edit/ShangYan Post-Production/GuoJing
