Rising political star Lau Ming-wai, whose dual nationality was revealed in Panama Papers leaks, says he would pick Chinese one if he had to choose
DANNY.MOK@SCMP.COM
UPDATED : Friday, 22 April, 2016, 10:29am
Lau Ming-wai says his dual nationality has not affected how he identifies himself as a Hongkonger. Photo: Nora Tam
Youth commission chairman Lau Ming-wai said he had no interest in joining the government or the legislature, in a response to his British national status being disclosed in a new round of Panama Papers leaks.
The 35-year old scion of the Chinese Estates empire reiterated on Thursday night that he had no intention of giving up his British citizenship as he had no plans to be a lawmaker or to join the government.
His remarks came two days after local media outlets that worked on the Panama Papers reported that he had listed in the ownership documents for a list of offshore companies that he was a British national.
Nationality is a sensitive issue in Hong Kong, where holders of key public offices come under pressure to explain a non-Chinese nationality
Lau said his dual nationality had not affected how he identified himself as a Chinese person and a Hongkonger. He added that if Hong Kong allowed only a single nationality, like China, he would choose to keep his Chinese title.
Lau said: “If I had to make a choice [between Chinese and British nationalities], I would choose the Chinese nationality”
He said he was not interested in joining the Legislative Council and the government, which was why he did not have to give up his British nationality, adding that many democratic countries in the world accepted multiple nationalities.
In a response to the leak, Lau had told the media earlier that it was his mother who had applied for British nationality for him when he was young.
The youth commission chief has been outspoken on identity issues relating to young people. In a remark he made in April last year shortly after he was appointed to chair the commission, he said the majority of local youngsters identified themselves as Hongkongers but not as Chinese.
He said that they should look at the issue of how the city should relate with the mainland after the handover, and that he did not understand why young people resisted the mainland.
Lau, who has been regarded as a political rising star, is also a member of the Commission on Strategic Development, and a member of City University’s council.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1937654/british-nationality-no-issue-because-im-not-joining
