Despite growing interference from Beijing, most Hongkongers aren’t seeking independence, says city’s former No 2
Former chief secretary Anson Chan says locals ‘simply want to preserve the values, freedoms and lifestyle that make the city so special’
Former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang decried the mainland’s increasing interference in Hong Kong’s domestic affairs but maintained that most of the city’s residents are not seeking independence.
In a speech delivered at Tufts University on Sunday as part of a China-US symposium, Chan said that while the rights and freedoms guaranteed under “one country, two systems” are being eroded, the SAR government has ignored the problem as it is more “bent on pleasing the central authorities in Beijing than standing up for Hong Kong and its core values”.
The former government No 2 said that due to disenchantment over the city’s governance, localism and advocacy for independence have emerged on the city’s political landscape, noting that Hong Kong Indigenous’ Edward Leung Tin-kei managed to rake in a significant number of votes in the recent New Territories East by-election.
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Chan, however, stressed that calls for independence were not supported by the majority of residents in Hong Kong, as most accept that separation from the mainland “is neither a desirable nor realistic aspiration”.
“They simply want to preserve the values, freedoms and lifestyle that make the city so special,” Chan said.
During her speech, Chan also commented on the mysterious disappearance of Lee Po, which she described as a symptom of Beijing’s move towards “increasingly authoritarian rule”.
“This is one of the most extreme examples, since the 1997 handover, of our sovereign power feeling it can act with impunity and complete disregard for ‘one country, two systems’ when its national interests are deemed to be under threat,” Chan said.
She lamented that local authorities were “powerless” in securing any explanation from their mainland counterparts on the circumstances of Lee’s mysterious disappearance.
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Despite China’s growing global influence, Chan stressed that Hong Kong remains an important bridge between the mainland and the rest of the world, noting that there has been a tendency to downplay this role.
“Many countries have huge stakes in the city’s future, both in its own right and as a gateway to business and investment in the mainland,” she said.
“If Hong Kong becomes just like any other Chinese city, it will lose the ability to continue its current unique and enormously valuable contribution to China and the world.”
