NIALL FRASER
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 30 July, 2015, 11:16pm
UPDATED : Friday, 31 July, 2015, 12:02am
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the South China Morning Post at the Island Shangri-La Hotel. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, whose independence-seeking party this year reshaped the electoral map of the United Kingdom, says the way her country conducted a divisive referendum on independence may offer a lesson in political engagement for Hong Kong.
Speaking exclusively to the South China Morning Poston Thursday on her arrival in Hong Kong from meetings in Beijing and Shanghai, Sturgeon also described her politically energised homeland’s relations with China and Hong Kong as “hugely important’’ in both economic and cultural terms.
Watch: Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon discusses Hong Kong and Scottish independence
Sturgeon’s trip to the mainland and Hong Kong aims to boost business and create greater cultural and educational ties with Scotland.
While stressing that it would be wrong to draw direct parallels between developments in Scotland and the situation in Hong Kong, the first minister – whose Scottish National Party won a landslide 56 out of 59 Scottish parliamentary seats available in May’s British general election – addressed the vexed issue of political engagement, particularly among young people.
“Be peaceful and lawful first of all. I believe strongly that fundamental freedoms such as freedom of assembly and freedom of expression must be protected,” she said. “Here in Hong Kong, that would be in line with the Joint Declaration. Protest should be peaceful, democratic and positive.”
I believe strongly that fundamental freedoms such as freedom of assembly and freedom of expression must be protected
Sturgeon was referring to the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration between the British and Chinese governments which set out the terms of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997
“You can’t draw direct parallels with what happened in Scotland with the situation in Hong Kong, obviously. But – and I say this very humbly – I think we have something to be proud of in what has happened over the past few years in Scotland,” she added.
“It said a lot and sent a message to the world that a country and its people could engage in large numbers in what was a very significant democratic political process with strongly divergent views, and do so peacefully.
“With a very few minor exceptions, that’s what we did and that would be my message – get engaged but on democratic and peaceful terms.’’
Sturgeon, who is on her first ever visit to China and Hong Kong, will meet with Chief secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Friday for what she hopes will be an “important interaction’’. Before that meeting, Sturgeon will give a breakfast speech at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club.
On Thursday, shortly after her arrival in Hong Kong, Sturgeon met with British consul general Caroline Wilson. While on the mainland, she had talks with State Councillor Yang Jiechi and gave a landmark speech on women’s rights.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1845377/scottish-referendum-could-be-lesson-political-engagement
