Lee Green Lighted to Run for Chief Executive

The State Council has approved Lee to run for chief executive

Today former Chief Secretary John Lee Ka-chiu held a very short press conference to say one thing -- Beijing has approved his resignation to run for the next chief executive.

"I have been taking part in different positions which provided me with a lot of valuable experience, knowledge and abilities. It has also broadened my vision," he said, adding he would hold another press conference tomorrow to lay out his coming plans.

Cheng supports Lee's nomination as candidate

"I thank Hong Kong and the people of Hong Kong for allowing me to serve Hong Kong in the past 45 years. I shall continue to proceed on the way that I shall be proceeding."

The race has begun -- for one candidate -- with a Facebook page set up but has no picture of Lee, while his campaign spin doctors have started working when it's looking likely to be a one-man race.

As others have noted, why go through the charade of holding a campaign? Just anoint the successor and be done with it.

Some people are dreading the possibility of a Lee authoritarian reign for the next five years, and so there could possibly be another wave in the next two months of people leaving the city.

However, the city's property developers, the tycoons, are all clambering over each other to show their support for Lee.

CK Asset chairman Victor Li Tzar-kuoi said in a statement he would nominate Lee to run in the upcoming chief executive election, while Sun Hung Kai Properties chairman Raymond Kwok Ping-luen said Lee would help restore the city's order and this will benefit Hong Kong in the long run.

Lam looking for chief secretary replacement

New World Development CEO Adrian Cheng Chi-kong and Henderson Land chairman Lee Ka-shing also threw their support behind Lee.

Meanwhile his former boss Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has nominated someone to replace Lee (for the remaining two months or so) and has yet to hear back from the State Council.

Perhaps workaholic Lam could do both jobs? She was CS before...

Beijing Takes Over Anti-Epidemic Work in HK

Does Lam regret how she has handled the pandemic now?

Things don't look good when you have over 4,200 infections reported today, over 7,000 preliminary, but more importantly, when Party Secretary General Xi Jinping is personally concerned and tells Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor she has to work harder to contain the virus and maintain social stability.

Word came down that Xi asked Vice-Premier Han Zheng, the top state leader overseeing the city's affairs, to relay to Lam the president's "concern about the pandemic situation in the city and his care for Hong Kong residents".

Xi has personally voiced concerns over HK

Beijing will now have more oversight over anti-epidemic measures, creating another layer of bureaucracy, basically another layer of bosses to placate. The group will be made up of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, as well as the National Health Commission, and will involve Beijing authorities and experts, as well as the Guangdong and local governments.

Xi stressed that Hong Kong "must earnestly take the main responsibility, and to make it the overriding priority to stabilise and control the epidemic as soon as possible".

"Authorities must mobilise all forces and resources that can be mobilised, take all necessary measures and protect Hong Kong people's lives and health, as well as ensure Hong Kong's social stability," Xi was quoted as saying.

"The relevant central and local authorities must fully support and assist the Hong Kong government in doing its anti-epidemic work well."

Lam responded with "heartfelt gratitude" to Xi, and admitted the local healthcare system was overloaded. 

A record 4,285 cases, 7,000 preliminary

Han told Lam that she should implement Xi's instructions, which include boosting testing capacity, procuring rapid test kits, and other medical equipment, supporting the construction of isolation and medical facilities, ensuring the supply of necessities, such as fresh food, and sending coronavirus experts to Hong Kong to help.

We already have a lot of very good infectious disease experts... they just can't agree with each other, while Lam does not rein them in or at least make sure they are all on the same page.

Nevertheless, many of them have already suggested a citywide lockdown to clamp down on the virus mainland-style, and yet Lam refuses to do this.

But with Beijing now getting involved, it may get to this point.

Does Lam now see that her chances of running for chief executive again are becoming slimmer and slimmer by the hour?

There were 4,285 infections today, and sadly nine deaths, including the three-year-old girl who passed yesterday. 

These elderly patients outside must be freezing

This evening after dinner I walked along the harbourfront and it was quite windy. As long as I kept moving I was warm, but what about those elderly patients lying on gurneys outside hospitals waiting to get in? They must be freezing to death. Won't be surprised if there are cases of pneumonia tomorrow.

Meanwhile this afternoon one infectious disease expert, Professor Ben Cowling of the University of Hong Kong was interviewed by the Asia Society. 

A few points he made include: He projects the fifth wave will peak in about three weeks from now, when over half of the population will be infected with the virus. This will unfortunately mean seeing more fatalities, and so Cowling urged people, including children who haven't gotten vaccinated to do so.

In the first wave children did not seem to be affected by Covid-19, but they are now getting sick with Omicron, and so he highly urges them to get the jab. Cowling again pushed for seniors to get vaccinated, precious time was lost last year when elderly people did not get vaccinated, and hinted the government did not do enough to push up the inoculation rates in this age group. 

He does not see the point in having a vaccine mandate now because the rising numbers of cases may have prodded people to get jabbed now.

Cowling says fifth wave may peak in three weeks

Another suggestion Cowling made was for rapid antigen tests be made widely available. He is currently stuck in the UK and everyone can get lots of these RAT tests delivered to their homes. People can take these tests and if they are positive to isolate immediately or for everyone else in the household to get tested to prevent further spread in the community. 

Children in the UK take these tests every morning before going to school so that they can attend classes; Cowling says there is a risk they could become positive later in the day, but for the most part it allows education to continue and believes this is a good thing.

This evening there are reports that all Hong Kong residents will be tested maybe in early March three times. How this will be implemented has yet to be revealed, or revealed at all. It could be sprung on us one day.

Regardless it shows the local government has been completely swept aside, unclear of what needs to be done, let alone execute properly. This is what happens when there is no effective opposition, no grassroots activists, and media to point out what should be done. 

Lam and her administration have wasted lots of time, wasted lots of money -- the December 19 free rides day for starters -- and not listened to experts and figured out how to protect Hongkongers in the best way possible.

For the rest of us, it is only a matter of time before we get infected one way or another. This government has failed us. We are on our own.

Hong Kong Fudges Poverty Numbers

A record 1.65 million people are in poverty in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has a record 1.65 million people living in poverty in 2020, since the government kept records 12 years ago. The latest number was released in its annual Poverty Situation Report released today.

That's over one in five Hongkongers live on HK$4,400 a month or less, or a three-person family at HK$16,000 or less. 

Govt says handouts made poverty stats smaller

However, instead of being concerned about the situation, the government preferred instead to add that it has given residents lots of subsidies and handouts so the actual number of people in poverty is 554,000, at just 7.9 percent of the population, better than the 9.2 percent recorded in 2019.

Huh?

In its tally, because the government gave several cash handouts and public housing, the people who fit its definition of "poverty" is actually less than 1.65 million.

But campaigners and experts say the numbers are too high, masking the reality of how the coronavirus pandemic has financially impacted not only individuals but families as well.

"Poor people have been hit the hardest during the year of the pandemic, from job losses to underemployment and homelessness. The government must not turn a blind eye to the serious findings in its own report," said Sze Lai-shan, of the Society for Community Organization (SoCO).

Sze says poor hit hardest during pandemic

In 2020, the government gave out HK$316.4 billion (US$40.6 billion) in four rounds of subsidies from its anti-epidemic fund to support businesses from closing due to strict social-distancing rules, as many of them had to shut for months.

But unemployment soared to a 16-year high of 6.6 percent in the final quarter of the year, with some 245,800 people out of work during the fourth wave of the pandemic.

Wednesday's report saw Hong Kong's poverty-stricken population rise from 1.49 million to 1.65 million in one year. 

While the government claimed in the report that its interventions helped prevent an even sharper poverty rate, SoCO's Sze said last year's mass unemployment was a direct result of the government's tough policy on social distancing, and that relief measures fell short of supporting those most in need. For example, relief measures for businesses did not trickle down to employees.

What will Xia think of the poverty report?

One wonders what Xia Baolong thinks of this report and if he believes it. The director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office has singled out poverty and wealth inequality as deep-rooted issues that need to be tackled by the next leader.

He and his staff have done several home visits, so they have seen on the ground how some of Hong Kong's down-and-out live -- and those are the ones with roofs over their heads. Has Bao seen the homeless people living on the streets and asked them how they are doing?

Meanwhile at the other end of the spectrum, it was reported today one buyer bought two luxury flats on The Peak for a record HK$1.2 billion (US$154 million). The two flats next to each other are at Mount Nicholson, at HK$134,000 per sq ft and HK$140,800 per sq ft.

How will the next leader resolve this is anyone's guess. 

Beijing Officials Tell Hong Kong to Catch Up

Huang tells Hong Kong to speed up economic development

Today senior Beijing officials told Hong Kong legislators the city needs to play catch up if it wants to have a brighter economic future with the mainland.

They claimed Hong Kong wasted too much time on politicking and infighting and meanwhile in China's 14th five-year plan, the city needs to fulfill its role as part of the nation's overall development.

Huang met with legislators in two-hour session

Deputy director Huang Liuquan of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office said the imposition of the city's national security law, alongside Beijing's drastic overhaul of the electoral system, had ensured the steadfast and successful implementation of the "one country, two systems" governing principle.

"A favourable situation does not come easily," he told dozens of lawmakers who attended the two-hour seminar at Tamar. "Hong Kong right now needs to roll up its sleeves to focus on its development."

It's quite simple to speed up the city's economic development -- open the border. Every property development for sale, insurance company, hotel, restaurant, boutique, shopping mall is ready to open its arms to mainland visitors. They are so ready to pounce.

However, Hong Kong is at the mercy of China's insistence on zero Covid-19 cases which is near impossible and as a result refuses to lift border restrictions. 

And yet China tells Hong Kong to speed up its economic development...

HK businesses are waiting for mainlanders

So pro-Beijing lawmakers are now urging the mainland and Hong Kong authorities to start discussions on reopening the border.

"The business sector is ready to invest," said Felix Chung Kwok-pan of the Liberal Party. "Hong Kong and overseas businesses all think that the future market is in China, but we're hindered by the border closure."

Meanwhile Starry Lee Wai-king of the DAB said her party told Huang that people want to see the border reopened.

So... let's get on with it then. And reopening the border may prompt more locals to get vaccinated!

Sounds like a win-win to me...

Thai-American Artist on Hong Kong

Rirkrit Tiranvaija's latest work at Art Basel

Art Basel has come and gone in Hong Kong, and it was good to have it finally held after it was cancelled last year because of the pandemic, albeit in a hybrid format with some physical booths showing art work set up at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, while galleries from overseas had online viewing rooms.

Admittedly I did not go to this year's fair, but did go on the website to look at some of the works on show.

One artist whose work I continue to follow is Thai-American artist Rirkrit Tiravanija. A few years ago he did a piece in 2016 titled "Freedom Cannot Be Simulated", the words written in black and red on the Hong Kong English-language newspaper, the South China Morning Post.

Under the blue vinyl is a message on newsprint

He has done this on a few other newspapers around the world. Tiravanija requests a specific back-dated copy of the newspaper and then paints a slogan on it.

Other slogans he has painted include "Same But Not Equal", "Fear Eats The Soul", and "The Days Of This Society is Numbered".

One of his latest works on show by the gallery neugerriemschneider in Berlin. Named "untitled 2018 (this revolution will not be televised, South China Morning Post, July 2, 2014).

It features a blue vinyl cloth, and when the viewer lifts it up, the newspaper is revealed to have the words "This Revolution Will Not Be Televised" in large white letters. 

Based on the July 1, 2014 protest march coverage

What was happening at that time? On June 10, 2014, the State Council in Beijing issued a white paper called "The Practice of the 'One Country, Two Systems' Policy in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

It claimed "comprehensive jurisdiction" over the city, saying: "The high degree of autonomy of the HKSAR is not full autonomy, nor a centralized power. It is the power to run local affairs as authorized by the central leadership".

This was the first Hongkongers had heard of this, having believed China would not interfere with Hong Kong affairs for 50 years until 2047, but now it looked like Beijing would have more of a say on how the city would be governed.

That led to a massive march on the annual July 1 protest, with organizers claiming over 500,000 people came out to show their discontent. Reports about the protest march, which included some 500 arrests, were covered in the newspaper the following day, and that is the edition Tiravanija has chosen to paint "This Revolution Will Not Be Televised".

Tiravanija's 2016 piece using the SCMP

On September 26, 2014, the streets were occupied in what was later known as the Umbrella Revolution or Umbrella Movement that paralyzed parts of Hong Kong for 79 days.

That later led to Tiravanija making "Freedom Cannot Be Simulated", using pages from the South China Morning Post from September 26-30, 2014.

To have an internationally known artist capture these moments happening in Hong Kong is fascinating, and proves the world is watching... 

Lam Defends Government (In)actions

Lam is back and now leading the effort to stop the coronavirus from spreading

Finally Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor is back in Hong Kong, and finally some action is being taken to try to stop the Wuhan coronavirus from spreading in the city.

Hours after landing from Davos, Switzerland, Lam held a 90-minute press conference where she announced primary and secondary schools will be closed until February 17 and it seems universities are following suit, all travelers who are not Hong Kong residents must fill out health forms, and everyone should wear masks. Currently Hong Kong has five confirmed cases, and worldwide there are over 1,400 cases, and 41 deaths.

Upcoming Standard Chartered Marathon has been scrapped

She insisted that her administration was not waiting for her to get back. "Even when I was in Davos I never stopped liaising with Secretary for Health Sophia Chan and Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung."

Then how come they didn't see it necessary for all travelers on the high speed rail to West Kowloon didn't have to fill out health declaration forms and why was the second infected patient in Hong Kong allowed to leave for Manila? Yesterday the Philippine government said it was flying back all Chinese nationals in a bid to lessen the number of coronavirus cases there.

In addition the Standard Chartered Marathon that was supposed to be held February 9 is cancelled, which makes people like me half relieved, but also half shrugging. I could have done the race, as I have been training for it. But I will continue training anyway.

Lam said the new package of measures was introduced because the situation had reached a "critical point", two days after the city's first confirmed case.

A lot of people are wearing masks in public spaces

But surely she must remember from 2003 that these cases can spread very fast? The government needed to be more aggressive in the first few days, not dither.

However, health experts had called on the government to immediately shut down the border with the mainland, but Lam refused, saying it was "inappropriate and impractical" to shut down all ports linked to the mainland.

What does she mean by "inappropriate"? This is about life and death for some people who have been infected by this virulent strain. Does she mean the flow of food coming from the mainland? She needs to explain for people to understand instead of just saying it's "inappropriate".

A labour union representing medical staff said public doctors had threatened to strike if the government refused to shut the border.

"Maybe we have become used to more radical moves in the past few months, but I hope medical staff will not resort to a confrontational approach to fight for their cause," Lam said.

Yuen Kwok-yung (right) says the coronavirus is contagious

These doctors would not threaten such drastic action if they felt they could handle the caseloads. They are genuinely terrified of what could happen if not enough is done to prevent more cases from coming into Hong Kong and spreading.

As for the shortage of masks, Lam said she had written to the State Council for cooperation. Why are we asking the mainland for masks. Shouldn't we be buying supplies from elsewhere? I have relatives who are terrified that the mainland would sell recycled masks. That shows how much confidence they have in Chinese-made products...

Microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung from the University of Hong Kong believes this coronavirus is highly contagious.

"Hong Kong or Macau or other world cities could easily become another Wuhan or another 2003 Hong Kong," Yuen said in an online message, referring to the SARS outbreak in 2003 that killed 299 people, including eight medical staff.

Most people on the streets are wearing masks as a precaution. Strangely those non-Chinese who cough, don't...

Beijing Speaks on Hong Kong

Spokesman Yang Guang gives a rare press briefing on the Hong Kong issue

Today we all waited for 3pm to come -- when the State Council Information Office held a press briefing about the situation in Hong Kong -- the first of its kind since the handover in 1997.

So it's taken 22 years for something serious enough to merit this event.

What did they say? Our response in bold.

1. What has happened in Hong Kong recently has gone far beyond the scope of peaceful march and demonstration, undermined Hong Kong's prosperity and stability, and touched the bottom line of the principle of "one country, two systems". Those horrendous incidents have caused serious damage to the rule of law, public order, economy and people's lives in Hong Kong and its international image, and great distress to all of those who love and care about Hong Kong.

Despite her faults, Beijing says it still supports her

We love Hong Kong too, but someone made a serious mistake that caused the "serious damage to the rule of law, public order, economy and people's lives in Hong Kong".

2. We call on people from all walks of life in Hong Kong to unequivocally oppose and resist violence. No civilized society under the rule of law would ever allow acts of violence to take place. We call on the general public of Hong Kong to be aware of the grave nature of the current situation and to jointly condemn the evil and criminal acts committed by the radical elements and prevent them from causing trouble to Hong Kong.

We oppose violence too, but someone's administration still has not responded to our demands so some of us have taken a more radical approach to get their attention and to no avail. Is that our fault?

3. We hope that Hong Kong people will stand firm in defense of the rule of law. The rule of law is a core value that Hong Kong people take pride. in. It is a cornerstone for the good business environment and the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong. We must not sit idly by and let a small number of people trample on this important value.

Beijing also supports the police for fulfilling its duties

We stand by rule of law too. But someone made a grave mistake in not allowing enough time for stakeholders to give feedback about the extradition bill, making it unacceptable to 2 million people who marched in protest. But still our government did not listen.

4. The central government firmly supports Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam in leading the HKSAR government's administration under the rule of law, the Hong Kong police in strict law enforcement, the HKSAR government agencies and the judiciary body in meting out punishment to violent criminals according to law, and people who love China and Hong Kong in safeguarding the rule of law in Hong Kong. We understand the huge pressure facing the Hong Kong police and their families, and would like to salute the Hong Kong police who have been fearlessly sticking to their posts and fulfilling their duties against all odds.

We know you insist on keeping Carrie, it's a face thing, we get it. Ditto with the police. But can we charge the government with dereliction of duty and the police for not using their crowd control tools properly, like shooting tear gas directly at people instead of in the air? What we'd really like is an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality, but we know your stand on the issue.

The standoff will continue until Lam says the w-word

5. We hope that Hong Kong will get over the political contentions as soon as possible and instead concentrate on developing its economy and improving people's livelihood. Hong Kong enjoys a good foundation for development and favourable conditions and unique advantages. That said, Hong Kong cannot afford to have instability. Should the chaos continue, it is the entire Hong Kong society that will suffer.

We'd like to resolve this issue too -- one person just has to say the w-word and call for an independent inquiry and then we're good. Until that happens yes, we will all suffer. Who's fault is that again? As for developing Hong Kong's economy, do you have any other brilliant ideas other than more shopping malls catering to mainlanders?

6. Since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the practice of "one country, two systems" in the region has been a widely recognized success. The policies of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong", and a high degree of autonomy have been faithfully implemented. The central government will continue to unswervingly implement the principle of "one country, two systems" and ensure that this principle remains unchanged and is not bent or distorted in practice.

Really? "One country, two systems" has been a success? It doesn't look like it is as you can see from the current mess. What do you mean by "high degree of autonomy" when you have meddled in Hong Kong's affairs, and Carrie Lam even parrots phrases you like to use, like "hurting the feelings of 1.4 billion Chinese people"?

Yang inundated by the scrum of reporters and leaves

7. We are confident that with the full support of the central government and the mainland, and under the leadership of Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the SAR government our Hong Kong compatriots are surely able to govern, develop and manage Hong Kong well, and Hong Kong will surely overcome all difficulties and challenges on its way forward. The ship of "one country, two systems" will surely sail far and steady despite winds and storms.

How can Hong Kong overcome its difficulties when Carrie Lam has done nothing to solve this huge problem? Sounds like you have no great ideas either except rhetoric.

The spokespeople then took a few questions (some scripted) from journalists and sidestepped queries on Lam's work performance, the PLA coming into Hong Kong, and thoughts on an independent inquiry on the police. They also refused to be drawn into whether the triads in Yuen Long last Sunday had any links with Beijing.

So on the whole it was predictable and the stalemate continues.

What next?

Beijing's Fiery Response

Andy Chan's speech at the FCC is still riling up Beijing days after

Following Hong Kong National Party convenor Andy Chan Ho-tin's controversial talk at the Foreign Correspondents Club on Tuesday, Beijing came out blasting with fiery tones.

Zhang Xiaoming, director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, strongly hinted it was time for the city to enact Article 23 of the Basic Law, which among other things, demands Hong Kong "prohibit any act of treason, secession, sedition, subversion against the Central People's Government".

Zhang claimed Chan and the FCC were committing sedition

"This incident has reminded us we have to reflect and review Hong Kong's inadequacies in protecting national security," Zhang said on Wednesday, but he stopped short of urging the city to push Article 23 forward.

He referred to a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Hong Kong last July, when he called for the implementation of the constitutional order of the Chinese constitution and the Basic Law. Xi also urged the Hong Kong government to "improve and complete" systems related to its mini-constitution.

Zhang accused the 27-year-old Chan of committing a crime under Article 9 of the Crimes Ordinance, which covers sedition, and the FCC of assisting him in committing the offence.

"The HKNP and people, including Chan, have plotted, organized and carried out activities with seditious intent -- they want to break up the nation," Zhang said.

He claimed both were breaking the law, as the HKNP is not a registered group, and the FCC "aided" Chan's seditious intention.

Lam is waiting for a good time to enact Article 23

"[The club] knows Chan and HKNP's motives, but it ignored the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and SAR government's repeated advice. It stubbornly invited Chan to give a speech at the FCC," Zhang said.

Meanwhile Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor came out to say Article 23 would be enacted eventually, and she was still waiting for the right time.

Did Chan play into Zhang's hands? In some ways it seems like it, but Zhang is blowing a lot of hot air in the form of verbal threats. Chan and the FCC have not incited violence and so they have not done anything illegal.

But by the same token, Zhang and Lam played into Chan's hands, perfectly illustrating what the young, composed activist feels about Beijing and Hong Kong government officials. The former acting like an "empire", the latter meekly obeying whatever the empire says.

Lam seems to be under the gun to get Article 23 implemented, but she will now have to wait for tensions to die down -- but will they?

Taking a Chance on Hainan

Tourists in Hainan will soon have horse racing to play along with surf and sand

The Chinese government is keen on developing Hainan into more than just "China's Hawaii" -- it's going to add horse racing and lotteries to the mix of entertainment that seems to be welcome news in the region.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club said in a statement that while "there has not been any discussion" so far with the Hainan authorities, but it would be pleased to exchange views on the promotion of equine sports there, if invited.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club welcomed the latest news

"The club is aware of the news reports that... the State Council... supports Hainan province developing equine sports," the club said.

Late on Saturday night the guidelines were released, a day after Xi Jinping announced plans to develop Hainan to have more economic freedom and greater market access.

While Beijing bans all kinds of gambling, it allows two types of lotteries, including one where punters predict the outcomes of international football [soccer] matches. It also allows horse racing but not betting. Sounds like an oxymoron, but that may change soon.

Since the 1990s there were attempts to get horse racing off the ground in China, with proposals in Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Nanjing. In 1992 a race course opened in Guangzhou, but was closed seven years later as an "unsatisfactory experiment".

Hainan's development will not impact Macau too much

Meanwhile analysts in Hong Kong believe this latest development will not impact Macau much, as the former Portuguese enclave has a fully developed industry that includes entertainment, conventions and exhibitions.

Hong Kong legislator Yiu Si-wing from the tourism sector believes the city can benefit from tourists who get a resort atmosphere from Hainan, and then the international city experience from Hong Kong.

With the central government's blessing, horse racing will happen soon -- but can you bet on it? Hard to say.

Benny Tai in the Hot Seat

Benny Tai believes Beijing wants to make an example out of him

Last week Benny Tai Yiu-ting was in Taipei speaking at a seminar organized by the Taiwan Youth Anti-Communist Corps.

He said that if "dictatorship" ends in China, the country's various ethnic groups could exercise the right to self-determination and decide how they could link up with each other.

"We could consider going independent, being part of a federal system or a confederation system similar to that of the European Union," he said.

Only a small minority want Hong Kong independence

Afterwards the pro-Beijing establishment in Hong Kong swiftly condemned Tai, hinting again that he was not qualified to teach at the University of Hong Kong, while the Hong Kong Government said it was "shocked", claiming Tai was invoking separatism.

The State Council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) spokesman said it believed "a small number of people in Hong Kong have colluded with external separatist forces" to advocate the city's independence.

"They have fully exposed their attempts to split the country and violated the national constitution, the Hong Kong Basic Law, and the relevant laws in Hong Kong. They are challenging the bottom line of 'one country, two systems'. Such activities must not be ignored or tolerated," the spokesman said.

Meanwhile Tai was "shocked" by the criticism heaped on him by numerous pro-Beijing lawmakers and the HKMAO, saying his comments were not new, and were "imaginations of the future" and did not violate any criminal laws. Chinese state media also chimed in that someone like Tai should not be given a platform.

Grenville Cross says Tai is not criminally liable for his speech

He believes he is being condemned and made an example to intimidate others from discussing the possibility of democracy in Hong Kong.

"It is a calculated plot against me... to [declare] that any discussion on Hong Kong independence -- albeit not directly endorsing [the notion] -- will not be allowed in society and universities," the HKU law academic said.

Former director of prosecutions Grenville Cross also says Tai's comments are not criminal.

"Tai has not actually advocated independence in his Taiwan remarks," said Cross. "He simply suggested it as one of several possibilities if certain hypothetical events were to happen. This falls short of being criminal under either the existing sedition law or the 2003 [national security law] proposals."

He adds even if someone were to publicly advocate independence, no law would be broken if it was done peacefully, and if someone were to be prosecuted for sedition, there would need to be proof of inciting violence, promoting hatred and stirring up ill will.

Hong Kong's freedoms must be protected

However Tai won't be surprised if the government pushes through a bill to make any talk of independence -- violent or not -- punishable under Article 23. That would severely limit people's right to freedom of speech according to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, he says.

This is the pro-Beijing camp's attempt to further shred the credibility of the pro-democratic camp, which is still reeling from the recent by-elections in which its results were disappointing.

Nevertheless, 24 pan-democratic lawmakers issued a joint statement backing Tai, vowing to "resolutely defend academic freedom" and insisting the law scholar was entitled to his academic analysis.

They urged all parties to stop attacking Tai and warned that "Hong Kong will no longer be Hong Kong" without free speech.

This pathetic need to destroy Tai isn't working -- it's not good for the city nor society to kill freedom of speech over hypothetical ideas.

We need to do whatever we can to protect the freedoms we have left.

Safeguard Hong Kong

A blurry picture of a banner that says "Safeguard Hong Kong" on Lion Rock

The hiking activists are at it again.

This morning a yellow banner appeared on Lion Rock in Kowloon with the words "Safeguard Hong Kong" on it.

However, it wasn't anchored properly so it was flapping in the wind.

Police were alerted of the banner at 7.30am and by 11am they had successfully removed it, though it is unknown who put it there and for what reason.

How the Hong Kong rail station would work

However, it is believed the banner is related to the controversy over the Chinese government's state council's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) insisting that the city must implement the joint checkpoint at the cross-border rail link being built to connect with Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

The National People's Congress Standing Committee has already authorized a plan where mainland Chinese officials would enforce national laws as part of the West Kowloon station.

"[Authorities] on the mainland and in Hong Kong must execute [the NPCSC's] decision," a HKMAO spokesman said to Xinhua news agency.

The NPCSC's decision was described as "an important constitutional judgment that cannot be challenged" and is in line with Hong Kong's Basic Law, according to a top Beijing expert on the mini constitution.

However, the Hong Kong Bar Association was "appalled" by the decision, saying the move was the most retrograde step since 1997, with the Basic Law being "irreparably breached" and the rule of law "severely" undermined.

The rail-link in West Kowloon is under construction

The association added the decision regarding the co-location agreement of having mainland authorities exercising mainland laws in Hong Kong territory was not supported by any provisions in the Basic Law.

"This plainly amounts to an announcement by the NPCSC that the cooperation agreement complies with the constitution and the Basic Law 'just because the NPCSC says so", the association's statement said.

"Such an unprecedented move is the most retrograde step to date in the implementation of the Basic Law and severely undermines public confidence in 'one country, two systems' and the rule of law in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region."

What is Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor going to do about this? So far she hasn't said much, which means she is complicit to her Beijing masters.

Again Hong Kong people and institutions are left having to defend the city again. It is appalling that the Basic Law isn't even respected by Beijing and instead it keeps changing the goal posts whenever it needs to keep its advantage.

Is there any legal way of challenging the NPCSC's decision? Or are we left to silently accept this latest announcement?

Yet another issue to protest about come July 1, 2018.

China's Evolving Definition of Human Rights

Liu Xiaobo and Liu Xia suffered human rights violations

With the year ending in just over two weeks, China has already hailed 2017 as one of "remarkable" progress in human rights, including its achievements in anti-corruption and legal reform, which don't have much, if anything to do with human rights.

The latest State Council white paper listed international cooperation on counterterrorism and climate change, as well as the "Sky Net" program to hunt down and repatriate fugitives accused of corruption as human rights achievements.

So forcibly bringing back people to stand for corruption charges is a good thing for human rights?

In the past China has included the right to peace, and the right to economic development.

Migrant workers are being forced out of Beijing

How random and irrelevant to consider these under the meaning of human rights (everywhere else).

Many international critics focused on the detention and death in custody of Nobel Peace Prize-winning dissident Liu Xiaobo and how he was only briefly reunited with his wife Liu Xia before he died of cancer in July. Afterwards his body was hastily cremated and the ashes dumped at sea to avoid some kind of memorial for democracy activists.

His widow is still closely watched by the authorities and her whereabouts are still unknown. Doesn't she have human rights?

There are also human rights violations in pushing migrant workers out of Beijing on the pretense of a fire in Daxing District on November 18 that killed 19 people. Following the fire, the authorities immediately launched a 40-day campaign to get rid of the "low-end population", a word that has since been banned from China's cyberspace.

Migrant workers who provide essential services or do jobs that no one else wants to do are being pushed out of the Chinese capital with very little notice and the experience has been so harsh and violent that they don't feel welcome anymore and have no choice but to go back to their hometowns.

Uyghurs' DNA are now being collected by the police

Did the authorities realize what effect this vicious campaign will have on how the city will function from now on?

But another shocking human rights violation is a recent report from The Guardian that says DNA, fingerprints and other biometric data are being collected from Uyghurs in a "health check", called "Physicals for All". It is unclear if patients are aware this data is being collected and shared with the police.

"The mandatory databanking of a whole population's biodata, including DNA, is a gross violation of international human rights norms," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch. It is even more disturbing if it is done surreptitiously, under the guise of a free healthcare program.

"Xinjiang authorities should rename their physical exams project 'Privacy Violations for All', as informed consent and real choice does not seem to be part of these programs," she added.

However, China is ignoring its critics and continuing this terrifying project -- even if someone hasn't committed a crime.

So when China says it's had a "remarkable" year in human rights, it really is living in a parallel universe where its definition is so far removed from everyone else's.

China's Second Lost Generation

There are at least 9 million left-behind children in China, as high as 61 million

Two years ago, the village of Cizhu in Hubei province was in the news for the most unfortunately reason -- four children aged between five and 13 years killed themselves by drinking pesticide after their mother abandoned the family and the father went away for work.

The surviving grandparents were too infirm to care for them and the children had dropped out of school because they couldn't afford it.

What has happened since then?

The village still has a lot of left-behind children; while the parents understand the psychological and emotional consequences of being separated from their children, they have no choice -- the money needs to be made somewhere.

Grandparents must look after the youngsters, a tiring job

According to official figures, last year there were over 9 million left-behind minors, defined as rural children with both parents working away from home, or where one parent is working and the other did not have guardianship of them.

In a wider definition where all children with at least one parents working away from home, the number is as high as a staggering 61 million.

A State Council guideline issued last year called for a system to be set up involving families, governments, schools and social groups to provide care to left-behind children.

It also promised to reduce the number of affected children by improving laws and regulations by 2020 -- only three years away.

Cizhu village is home to 260,000 left-behind children and eight year-old Ma Juan is one of them. She doesn't understand why her father is hardly there, but he has no choice as her mother abandoned the family when she was three months old.

Her father works on construction sites in Shandong province, 1,800 kilometres away and only comes back for Lunar New Year.

Can the government make children's lives better in three years?

Ma's aunt says at least her brother is making some money and saving several thousand yuan a year, bringing gifts for Ma and her older sister.

But for his youngest daughter it's not enough. The aunt said she once found the youngster crying and not even the promise of buying anything could stop her. Later she told her aunt she could not help missing her mother, even though she did not have any pictures of her or remembered what she looked like.

After the 2015 tragedy, Bijie government, which administers Cizhu village, asked parents to return for the sake of their children, and there was even an effort to document those whose parents were away.

But even if parents want to bring children with them to where they are working, they have to pay extra to house them (on their own accommodation is free), and it's an additional cost they would rather not take on, which is why families are separated.

And if they do bring the kids with them, it's hard to find schools to accept them because academically they are behind, and there is the additional cost of tuition.

It's a tough call for parents, but through observation, families where at least one parents came home, their children were more at ease and happy, even smiling more.

Can the government really tackle such a serious issue -- that it has neglected for decades -- within three years?

Chinese President Xi Jinping may be making poverty alleviation a big priority, but how is the government going to help families whose parents must go away for work because they can't earn a decent enough living where their families are?

If the government can solve this issue effectively within three years that would be a miracle. These children -- like eight-year-old Ma -- have been neglected too long -- they are basically a lost generation, the second one after the Cultural Revolution.

What hope does Ma have of a decent life ahead of her if she can't even get the family love and support she desperately needs?

Fact of the Day: 61 Million Left-Behind Children

There are 61 million left-behind children like these ones in China

In China, the latest survey by the National Health and Family Planning Commission reveals there's a staggering 61 million left-behind children, a third of them younger than 17, who are not raised by their parents.

The mothers and fathers have gone to mostly coastal cities to find work to send money home and only see their children once or maybe twice a year.

The lack of hukou or residence permit in big cities prevents parents from bringing their children with them because they don't have access to decent housing, schooling and health care.

Many are raised by grandparents or relatives in hometowns

So these children are left to mostly grandparents or relatives to care for, and there are many sad cases of them dying.

Last June, four left-behind children from the same family, ranging in ages from give to 13, committed suicide together by swallowing pesticide in Bijie, Guizhou province. And in November 2012, five boys died from carbon monoxide poisoning after starting a charcoal fire to keep warm inside a dumpster.

Experts believe these incidents happened because the parents were not around to raise them.

But at the same time, where else can these parents go to try to make a better life for their families? Provinces like Anhui, Henan and Sichuan are the sources for the most migrant workers, as 44 percent of rural children in these areas are left behind, way above the national average of 35.6 percent.

What is the central government's response?

In February, the State Council, China's cabinet, issued a guideline to local authorities to improve the physical and psychological health of such children. But there are no details on exactly how they would do that. And would Beijing come to check on the the local authorities to see if the have implemented any programs to benefit left-behind children?

They only have access to basic education which isn't enough

They are the most neglected people in society next to orphans.

Sixty-one million children is not a number to dismiss -- it's almost the population of Britain. And yet they barely get basic education and health care, let alone the emotional support they need to grow up to be confident and relatively happy people with decent jobs.

The government needs to do more for these children, but anything effective and immediate doesn't seem to be a priority. Beijing likes to parrot how it has lifted more than 800 million people out of of poverty.

But what about these 61 million children? They are the next generation who deserve at least a chance to thrive.