Lee Cheuk-yan Stands by His Beliefs Despite Jail

Lee says he will never forget what happened in Beijing 1989

There are numerous court cases going on simultaneously, making people lose track of who is on trial, who has been convicted and who is in jail, though most people related to the anti-government protests or the national security law are remanded in custody.

One of them is former lawmaker and chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China Lee Cheuk-yan, who pleaded guilty to inciting others to join an unauthorized assembly at Victoria Park for the June 4 candlelight vigil.

Some people defied the police to hold a vigil

Today he gave an emotional mitigating speech in court to explain why he continued to mark the anniversary.

He explained the alliance was set up to support the democratic movement in Beijing, where students gathered in Tiananmen Square. A group of them arrived on May 30, 1989, but a few days later on June 4, he says he "heard incessant gunshots and reports that the tanks were entering, bloodily crushing protesters in Chang'an Avenue".

The next morning he recalled seeing the casualties carted away. "We had no idea how many were hurt and killed. It was a night of immense devastation that I can never forget," he wrote.

Lee tried to board a plane going back to Hong Kong, but was stopped by the police and interrogated for three days. Luckily, he says, Hongkongers petitioned for his release and he came back on June 8.

Lee was in Beijing when the massacre happened 

"I thanked God in my prayers, dedicated myself to be His instrument of Justice, and committed my life to the struggle for democracy to Hong Kong and China. This is my pledge to the people of Hong Kong who rescued me and the people of Beijing who implored us to tell the truth of what happened in the Square to the world. Since then I have always engaged in the mission of the Hong Kong Alliance and attended the June Fourth candlelight vigil every year until this. In prison I continued to honour their memory by fasting for a day and by a lit match."

Later in the speech he points out that the authorities have threatened freedom of expression and assembly, and that they are depriving inmates the right to access to information, such as books, magazines and daily necessities. 

He says HK people will not forget 1989

He also observes the irony in the Hong Kong police upholding Mahatma Gandhi and his non-violent struggle, when he was actually a pioneer in civil disobedience.

"If the Police endorses the non-violent struggle led by Gandhi, why should it not respect the right of the people of Hong Kong to honour the memory of the June Fourth Massacre through a peaceful, non-violent assembly?" he asks.

Finally Lee ends his speech, saying: "If I must go to jail to affirm my will, then so be it." Applause and cheers were heard in the courtroom.

Buy a Nano Flat with a "Garden"

Ground floor hard to sell so developers lure buyers with patios

In North America, some people are moving away from the downtown core, or central business district and getting larger homes in the suburbs where they can have more space.

Try doing the same kind of thing in Hong Kong and you'd need to be a zillionaire.

#Lyos in Hung Shui Kiu has patios with nano flats

But there's there's private developers designing nano flats -- with patios.

#Lyos, a project in Hung Shui Kiu in the New Territories developed by CK Asset Holdings, 58 ground-floor flats, mostly studios and one-bedroom units -- come with a patio, which is not included in the saleable area of homes.

The nano flats have what are described as private gardens between 53 and 295 sq ft.

Of the 341 flats in #Lyos, 184 of them range between 202 and 292 sq ft. The project will be completed two years from now.

An example of a nano flat layout for one person

All 40 of the ground floor nano flats that came with gardens -- actually patios -- were snapped up with in a day when they opened for sale in two batches earlier this month.

A 217 sq ft studio with a 201 sq ft patio costs about HK$4.7 million (US$603,000), or HK$21,645 per sq ft, whereas a 206 sq ft flat one floor up costs HK$4.14 million or HK$20,073 per sq ft.

But perhaps this is the developer's way of selling ground floor flats, as they are usually harder to sell --  why not design a larger liveable space than a nano flat with "a garden"? How is that more liveable? It's jus absurd.

But alas the Hong Kong government doesn't seem to think it's necessary to rein in developers with their misleading marketing language to lure buyers in.

Manor Hill promises a "staycation" experience

One housing development called Manor Hill by Kowloon Development in Tseung Kwan O, studios and one-bedroom flats ranging from 203 to 300 sq ft make up about 90 percent of the 1,556 homes in two towers.

The average price is HK$20,921 per sq ft, making it the most expensive new launch at Lohas Park, Hong Kong's largest private housing project.

The developer said the clubhouse and garden, which covered 49,000 sq ft, provided facilities "comparable to five-star hotels", giving residents a "staycation-like" experience.

Seriously?

This is why people do staycations in the first place -- their flats are tinier than hotel rooms.

Living in a nano flat is definitely not comparable to five-star hotels. You don't have a butler waiting on you, and your food is prepared by a microwave because there's no room for a stove.

How does nano flat compare to Rosewood?

The government plans to pass a law to prosecute for "fake news". How about "fake descriptions"?

It's making a joke out of young people desperate to climb the property ladder...

Picture of the Day: Christmas is Coming

Christmas-themed squirrel pokes his head out

There are 39 more days until Christmas...

This year will be a busy one in Hong Kong. 

Last year Christmas was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, forcing families to cook at home or order turkeys, hams, gravy and brussel sprouts. It was a strange time.

Most chefs enjoyed Christmas because it was the first time in a long time they didn't have to work on December 25.

Festive afternoon tea at Peninsula Boutique

But this year Christmas is definitely on and the shopping malls have started unveiling their Christmas decorations for photo opportunities. This one from Heritage 1881 in Tsim Sha Tsui has a squirrel theme.

And with most of Hong Kong's population stuck in the city for almost two years, everyone's looking for something fun and interesting to do for the holidays.

Will people shop shop shop and eat eat eat?

We will find out... in 39 days...

M+ Finally but Cautiously Opens

M+ is designed by Herzog & de Meuron, at least HK$760M

A few days ago M+ finally opened on Friday, though with cautious fanfare.

First some impressive stats. The Museum of visual culture is designed like an upside down T, nearly twice the size of the Tate Modern with 17,000 square metres (183,000 sq ft) of space in which to display 1,500 works from its 6,413 pieces. M+ cost at least HK$760 million to build, and several years behind schedule, which resulted in bad timing.

Before M+ opened its doors, the national security law was implemented, coupled with numerous pro-democracy activists thrown in jail, a liberal newspaper shut down, and the city's electoral system completely revamped so that only "patriots" can run. As a result the contemporary art museum is treading on dangerous territory.

Tang said the art must comply with the law

Art is supposed to be an extension of freedom of expression... is it not?

"We will uphold and encourage the freedom of artistic expression and creativity. But on the other hand, our dedicated curatorial team will ensure the exhibitions comply with the law, including the Basic Law, the national security law, and all other laws in Hong Kong. The opening of M+ does not mean artistic expression is above the law. It is not," said West Kowloon Cultural District chairman Henry Tang Ying-yen.

So yes, by all means be expressive with art -- as long as it complies with the law.

Passive aggressive with legal characteristics.

Ai's Whitewash is displayed prominently

In March, pro-Beijing lawmaker Eunice Yung Hoi-yan tried to score patriotic brownie points by accusing the M+ collection of spreading "hatred" against China, using the example of Ai Weiwei's photograph of him raising his middle finger at Tiananmen Square.

However, did she realize that Ai also has a series of photographs called Studies of Perspectives, pointing his middle finger at other government buildings and famous landmarks around the world too, including the Eiffel Tower, Hong Kong island, St Mark's Square, the Sydney Opera House, and the White House?

Nevertheless, M+ removed Ai's photograph from its online archive, citing a legal review, though his other work called Whitewash (1995-2000) is on show, featuring 126 ancient jars neatly arranged some painted in white, as if to whitewash history.

Wang's painting refers to Tiananmen Square

And then there is a reference to June 4, 1989 with Wang Xinwei's New Beijing. It's a painting of a photograph reminiscent of a man pushing his bicycle with a makeshift board that should be carrying two bloodied people but instead there is a pair of penguins wounded in the chest.

It's also interesting it has featured the works of local artist Kacey Wong, including photographs and sculpture, including his floating apartment idea as a way to tackle Hong Kong's housing crisis. Wong recently went into self-imposed exile to Taiwan, worried about continuing to live in Hong Kong. He wrote on Twitter how cool it was to be able to see his work in the museum through smartphone technology.

Wong's floating home is on show at M+

Many people I know have already had a preview of M+, posting pictures all over social media so I feel like I've already seen half the museum already. But of course it's not the same as being there and interacting with the art in person which I hope to do soon.

But the hopes that M+ was going to display art that couldn't be in China are dashed. Going forward it's going to be a perilous journey for the museum when it comes to art and politics,
whether it likes it or not.