Critical commentary and analysis on Hong Kong, China and Taiwan affairs from HKFP’s community of columnists, experts and advocates.
Is Hong Kong leader’s planned gov’t overhaul too little, too late?
With less than six months of her term to go, Chief Executive Carrie Lam kick-started a government overhaul on the first day of a new legislative session on Wednesday, aiming to keep government structure abreast of the times. That could not be more ironic. Elevated to the top post in July 2017, Mrs Lam, who…
Hong Kong election: Rewriting history after the 2021 ‘patriots’ poll
There is putting a brave face on bad news, there is spin, and there are outright falsities. All three were on offer after the latest Legco elections, spurned by more than 70 percent of the registered voters. See also: Democracy is never going to be a one-size-fits-all solution The South China Morning Post treated the…
Hong Kong election: Democracy is never going to be a one-size-fits-all solution
The official White Paper on “Hong Kong Democratic Progress Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems,” released on December 20, 2021, affirmed that during the British colonial administration, there was no democracy in Hong Kong. The Central Political Committee devised the “One Country, Two Systems” policy in early 1980s, and it is the backbone…
Something to cheer after a dismal 2021? The Hongkongers who shunned the ‘patriots’ polls
Let’s hope most Hongkongers have some personal triumphs to celebrate when the clock strikes midnight to ring in 2022. Because, let’s face it, the city as a whole does not have much to crow about over the past year. It’s been, to borrow a phrase once famously employed by Hong Kong’s former monarch, an annus horribilis.…
An introduction to mainland-style democracy – Hong Kong’s first election under national security rules
Congratulations to the production managers in Beijing and the campaign managers here. Together they have designed and orchestrated a new-style election system for Hong Kong that has succeeded in producing exactly the results they intended. Unlike the old legislature, this new one can safely contribute to the “administration” of Hong Kong without disrupting its “executive-led”…
China is a democracy? Pull the other leg
This joke has gone on long enough. I am prepared to believe that the system of government on the mainland is effective in many ways. It can certainly be argued that most of the population are content with it, although in view of what happens to those who express discontent this is hard to establish.…
The Party’s picks: Hong Kong’s new-look legislature lacks deep roots in the community
Last Sunday, Hongkongers went to the polls to elect a new Legislative Council (Legco). Seventy percent of the population thought voting in this election was not worth their time. The election has produced a Legislative Council composed of local elites, identified by the Chinese Communist Party as sufficiently patriotic to govern Hong Kong. The party…
Taiwan’s status as a human rights haven marred by November tragedies
Taiwan might have a budding reputation for being a beacon of liberal democracy and human rights, but November saw some shocking tragedies that exposed severe domestic problems. It was bad enough that a female legislator suddenly reported having been violently assaulted by her ex-boyfriend at the end of the month, but this was preceded by…
‘Patriots’ election: Why did the Hong Kong government set itself up to be snubbed?
What were the Hong Kong government and its masters hoping to achieve with the farce described as an election under a “perfected” system? Set aside for a moment the fact that despite inducements, threats, and avid attempts at promotion, an overwhelming majority of the Hong Kong public shunned this event. Let’s focus on why the…
International Migrants Day: It’s time to care for those who care for us
Today, across the world, communities are celebrating International Migrants Day, a day that marks the adoption by the United Nations of the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, and aims to raise awareness about the challenges and difficulties of international migration. Over the past…
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