Henry Cheng (right) says he supports the inclusion of the Cultural Revolution (bottom left) and the Tiananmen crackdown (top right) in Hong Kong textbooks. Photos: Baidu, AP, HKEJ
Henry Cheng: Put Cultural Revolution, Tiananmen in textbooks
Hong Kong textbooks should reflect its history and that of mainland China, according to a business tycoon.
Henry Cheng, chairman of New World Development Co. Ltd., said he supports the inclusion of sensitive issues, such as the Cultural Revolution and the 1989 Tiananmen protests, in school materials.
“History cannot be distorted,” Cheng was quoted as saying by Ming Pao Daily Wednesday.
Cheng said he supports students seeking democracy for Hong Kong but they should take a gradual approach.
If the pace and method harm Hong Kong people’s lives, the democracy movement could produce the opposite result.
“Students should promote democracy under the framework of ‘one country, two systems’ and the Basic Law,” he said.
Cheng made the comments as bailiffs backed by the police began dismantling a protest site in Mong Kok district, resulting in violent clashes and dozens of arrests.
The street occupation by protesters demanding genuine democratic reform has gone on for nearly two months and appears to be dwindling.
A recent survey showed an overwhelming number of Hong Kong people want the protest to end immediately.
Cheng said Beijing should stand firm on its election reform package for the 2017 Hong Kong chief executive election.
“Democracy cannot be achieved overnight,” Cheng said, adding it will take time to improve the election mechanism.
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