![[Hong Kong News]Why?Xia Baolong’s low-key visit to Hong Kong attracts attention; the Labor Union applies for the “May 1st” parade and refuses to list; Apple’s standpoint reporter creates new media | Article 23 legislation | Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office | Xia Baolong | Liu Zhaojia | Liu Ruishao | | Hong Kong Media| Apple| Stand| Light Media| Easter](https://img.soundofhope.org/2020-02/588.jpg "[Hong Kong News]Why?Xia Baolong’s low-key visit to Hong Kong attracts attention; the Labor Union applies for the “May 1st” parade and refuses to list; Apple’s standpoint reporter creates new media | Article 23 legislation | Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office | Xia Baolong | Liu Zhaojia | Liu Ruishao | | Hong Kong Media| Apple| Stand| Light Media| Easter")
Xia Baolong’s 6-day visit to Hong Kong is highly confidential
Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council of the Communist Party of China, will start a 6-day visit to Hong Kong from the 13th to next Tuesday (18th). Some analysts pointed out that Xia Baolong’s trip will strengthen the basis or need for “Article 23” legislation in the name of national security.
The Hong Kong government announced on Tuesday (11th) that Xia Baolong will go to Hong Kong for a six-day investigation. However, the Hong Kong government kept Xia Baolong’s itinerary highly confidential, only revealing that he would attend the “National Security Education Day Opening Ceremony” held at the Grand Hall of the New Wing of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center on Saturday (15th).
This is Xia Baolong’s first visit to Hong Kong after the CCP strengthened the party’s control of Hong Kong and “upgraded” the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council to the leadership of the central government. Earlier, a number of pro-China Hong Kong media quoted sources as saying that Xia has a great chance to take charge of the new Central Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office and continue to be in charge of Hong Kong and Macau affairs.
Liu Zhaojia, consultant of the National Association for Hong Kong and Macau Studies, said that Xia Baolong’s trip, in addition to conducting research and assisting the CCP in formulating Hong Kong policies, aims to strengthen the national security awareness of Hong Kong people, and to deal with the legislative issues of Article 23 of the Basic Law, so as to foster more favorable political and public opinion atmosphere.
Rather than pointing out to the Hong Kong media in February this year that “the urgency of making Article 23 legislation is limited”, as long as the national security is not seriously threatened, the Hong Kong government should focus on dealing with the economy and people’s livelihood after the return to normal. Therefore, “next year and the year after It is not too late (legislation)” and other sayings are different.
Current affairs commentator Liu Ruishao told Free Asia that Beijing’s general direction of Hong Kong’s “Article 23” legislation will “definitely remain unchanged”. I believe that Xia Baolong’s visit to Hong Kong will continue to strengthen the basis or need for “Article 23” legislation in the name of national security.
As for whether Xia Baolong will directly propose to legislate “Article 23” as soon as possible, Liu Ruishao said that he believes that the authorities will first create an atmosphere, create awareness among the people of the importance of Article 23 legislation, break through the psychological barrier, and then consider when Article 23 will be enacted.
Article 23, or Article 23 of the Basic Law, is a legal provision stipulating that Hong Kong should enact its own laws to “maintain national security”. The ostensible intention is to prohibit by law any behavior that would damage the country’s national sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and national security. This article is considered to be political, and the meanings of many terms are not clearly defined. There is no due protection for basic human rights and freedoms, and it is easy to be used by the regime to suppress dissidents.
After the handover of Hong Kong’s sovereignty in 1997, the CCP has been putting pressure on the Hong Kong government to legislate. From 2002 to 2003, the legislation of this provision aroused huge opposition in Hong Kong, and even caused 500,000 people to participate in the July 1 parade. Later, under pressure, the Hong Kong government canceled the legislation of this provision.
Chief Executive Lee Ka-chao said at the beginning of this year that he had asked the Security Bureau to draft a second draft to target espionage, disguised organizations, new media and new technologies, and hoped to complete the 23 legislation by next year at the latest. However, the Hong Kong government submitted this year’s legislative agenda to the Legislative Council, involving a total of 34 bills, and did not see the legislative items of Article 23 of the Basic Law. The authorities have not yet given a specific timetable.
As May Day is approaching, Huang Naiyuan, the former chairman of the disbanded Trade Union Union, and Du Zhenhao, the former secretary, announced on the 11th that they will apply for the May Day parade in their own names on Sunday (9th) afternoon, hoping to inherit the spirit of May Day .
Huang Naiyuan and Du Zhenhao set up special pages on social platforms, reviewing the history of May Day, and pointed out that the reasonable labor and welfare system did not fall from the sky, but benefited from the efforts and sacrifices of countless workers in the past two hundred years.
The article refuted the claim of “some social sages wearing labor clothes” that demonstrations are not important. Workers have other channels to “voice out” and the government will “listen” to their opinions. “
Regarding the controversy caused by applying for a parade in recent months, the article stated that in today’s Hong Kong society, everyone will understand how difficult it is to hold a parade with hundreds of people, and what challenges and risks they may encounter. But “just because it’s become so difficult to have a march, it underscores the point of having a march, or trying to do it.”
The two emphasized that social movements are long and rugged, and we should not only focus on the ups and downs of temporary gains and losses. “Every tiny choice we make now will affect the position of those who come later.” No matter how much space there is in Hong Kong society at this moment, and how much can be achieved, the most important thing is to “pass on the spiritual will of May Day.”
According to a report by “Independent Media”, Du Zhenhao said in reply to the inquiry that he would not consider accepting the registration of number plates for the time being, and hoped to find other compromise methods. Parade Appeals Committee.
Du Zhenhao also said, “The current social atmosphere is very normal, and I can’t see (can’t see) radicals around (where)”, and I don’t worry about being hijacked by “violent gangs” in parades.
Hong Kong used to be known as the “City of Parades”. Every year, there are large and small parades. Among them, the New Year’s Day parade, the “June 4th” rally and the July 1st handover parade, the number of people can reach as high as one million. Global attention. The Trade Union will also hold a parade on May 1 every year until its dissolution. However, after the anti-extradition law movement and the CCP virus (new crown) epidemic, demonstrations have almost disappeared.
Recently, with the “return to normal” in Hong Kong, demonstrations have gradually “resurrected”. Many public demonstrations have been approved one after another, but some are strictly controlled by the police, including requiring wearing neck tags and complying with the “Hong Kong National Security Law”. “, not allowed to wear masks, etc., making the outside world pay attention to how much freedom there is in Hong Kong’s demonstrations.
Shine a light for the people of Hong Kong, the former Apple standpoint reporter founded a new media in Taiwan
Since the National Security Law came into effect, Hong Kong’s media industry has fallen into a cold winter, and many media professionals have fled overseas to continue their work. The media “Light Media”, founded in Taiwan by former “Apple” and “Standard” reporters, was officially launched on the 11th.
“Light Media” stated in its self-introduction that it was founded by former “Apple Daily” and “Stand News” reporters. The advisory team includes former “South China Morning Post” editor-in-chief Mark Clifford, “Washington Post” senior commentator Josh Rogin, former Hong Kong Radio “Pulse” host Steve Vines, senior journalist Cheng Xiang, former “Stand News” director Lian Yizheng, former “End Media” editor-in-chief Li Zhide, etc.
“Light Media” stated in its founding speech that in the past two years, one media organization after another has been forced to close down, journalists who stick to their posts have been imprisoned, and the news industry has been shrouded in white terror under the suppression. The more powerless you are, the more paranoid you are,” and decided to set off again, based in Taiwan, facing the world, and continue to provide Hong Kong people with news that belongs to everyone.
The article explained that “Photon” was chosen as the English name because “I hope to emit a little light, even if it is only a very faint point, so that we can see each other.”
At the end of the article, it said, “My way is not alone. On the road leading to the light, let us rely on each other and wait for the morning light together.”
According to a survey report published by the “Overseas Hong Kong Media Professionals Association” a few days ago, at least hundreds of media professionals have left Hong Kong, and the number is still increasing. However, the media founded by Hong Kong people is gaining a foothold overseas, forming a new media community and continuing the mission of defending press freedom.
Over a million Hong Kong people travel abroad during the Easter holiday
During the long Easter holiday, a large number of citizens traveled abroad, but the number of inbound visitors did not increase significantly. As a result, the local catering, retail and other industries did not flourish as expected.
According to statistics from RFI, during the Easter holiday, 3.02 million people entered and exited Hong Kong, and 1.022 million people left Hong Kong. During the same period, there were 315,000 tourists visiting Hong Kong, 79% of which were tourists from mainland China. Figures show that the number of people leaving Hong Kong is 3.2 times that of inbound visitors.
Huang Jiahe, president of the Hong Kong Catering Industry Association, pointed out in a radio program on the 10th that two months after the relaxation of the prevention and control measures of the CCP virus epidemic, the business had recovered by 80% to 90%, but during the Easter holiday that just passed, The daily turnover of the catering industry is between 230 million and 250 million Hong Kong dollars, which is not only significantly lower than the previous peak season turnover, but even 15% to 20% less than the daily turnover of 280 million to 300 million yuan in normal days.
However, he pointed out that after the Lunar New Year, the end of March to April is usually the off-season for the catering industry. He hopes that the authorities will distribute electronic consumption coupons next week, and the increase in mainland tourists during the “May 1st” Labor Day holiday will drive catering consumption.
Internet program host Chen Yuming believes that the number of departures exceeds the number of arrivals, reflecting that international tourists have not come to Hong Kong to spend during the holidays, and Hong Kong has not yet reached the “return to normal” state that the Hong Kong government has shouted.
In addition to the catering industry, the retail and hotel industries in the market have not seen prosperity. A clerk in a clothing store in Mongkok said that the business was not as expected, and the turnover was about 70% of the expected amount. Chen Yuanyan, manager of the Hotel Owners Association, also pointed out that the number of tourists visiting Hong Kong has not seen a surge, and the occupancy rate has dropped slightly.