At least eight groups which can cast votes in functional constituency elections all share the address of a pro-Beijing businessman, according to a local online publication. The various groups are eligible to vote in the Sports, Performing Arts, Culture and Publication functional constituencies, reported Stand News. They each share the same address as Sunbase International (Holdings) Limited, which is owned by pro-China businessman Gunter Gao Jingde.
A Stand News reporter visited the registered address and discovered that the Association of Chinese Culture in Hong Kong also has the same address as Sunbase International (Holdings). A member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Gao is the head of that association.
A staff member told the reporter that all eight groups belong to the association. She said, regarding voting registration, that “you can even register a home address. Because they are members of our association, of course they can use our address for registration.”
“What justification do you have to investigate us? Are you from the government?” said the staff member.
Stand News reported that many of the groups have taken a pro-China stance in the past, including condemning the Mong Kok unrest in February this year.
The media outlet reported that a Sunbase International (Holdings) subsidiary, Sunbase International Properties management Limited, manages all 18 plots of military land belonging to the People’s Liberation Army. The company also provides services to the Hong Kong government, as well as the Hong Kong branch of the Xinhua news agency.
Hong Kong’s legislative elections will take place in September. Functional constituencies consist of professional or special interest groups. Thirty of the 70 seats in the legislative council are elected by Hong Kong’s 28 functional constituencies, with another five from the District Council (Second) functional constituency.
