STUART.LAU@SCMP.COM
UPDATED : Saturday, 14 May, 2016, 11:29pm
Professor Chan Ka-keung. Photo: Dickson Lee
In a provocative note to localists who fear closer economic integration with the mainland, Hong Kong’s financial services chief yesterday suggested they “get their brains checked out”.
Without naming lawmakers, Professor Chan Ka-keung made reference to speeches made in the Legislative Council on Friday before a record-breaking 49 votes were cast in support of the budget prepared by his boss, Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah.
Referring to Tsang’s recent support for localism, Chan said this should not be misinterpreted to mean there was no need for Hong Kong to cooperate with the mainland.
“Those who reject economic integration with the mainland should get their brains checked out,” he said on Commercial Radio. “[Hongkongers] shouldn’t let political strife mess up their minds.”
Chan said there was no room for a seclusive Hong Kong and that the city could package products to appeal to outside markets.
Civic Party lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching, a staunch supporter of localism, said she believed Chan was referring to her.
“Chan needs not just a brain check – he needs a full-body MRI scan,” Mo said.
“He certainly lacks the understanding of what people like me are calling for, and was trying to twist what we mean. I never doubted the need for Hong Kong to embrace the global market, but localisation is equally important.”
It is rare for Chan, a former business dean at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, to resort to rude if not insulting language.
In his blog previously, Tsang put a positive spin on localism, citing its potential to become a “constructive force” that binds society. By contrast, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has condemned localist protests against mainland visitors and attacked student leaders for discussing self-determination for the city.
On the city’s economic outlook, Chan sounded reassuring although Hong Kong’s latest growth rate has slowed down to 0.8 per cent in the first quarter. That was “not too bad”, he said, given Hong Kong’s ability to maintain near full employment rate.
The growth fell short of analysts’ estimate of 1.48 per cent, and was down from the 1.93 per cent growth recorded in the fourth quarter of last year.
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1945108/get-your-brains-checked-minister-tells-hong-kong-localists
