Remembering August 31

People left flowers, believing people died in the station

Today Hongkongers are remembering the third anniversary of the events that transpired in Prince Edward MTR station. Commuters, some of whom were protesters, some not, were attacked by police in the MTR station. 

The images of fully armoured police armed with batons, beat people trying to defend themselves with flimsy umbrellas were shocking, people huddled together on the floor of an MTR carriage crying hysterically, fearing for their lives.

This scene is etched in people's memories

Meanwhile first aid volunteers tried to reach people down in the MTR they thought were injured, but the police had the entrance gates shut down. One very young first aid volunteer begged the police to let him inside to help the victims, even offering his first aid kit to them, but they told him to get lost. He cried in anguish, feeling guilty and frustrated.

Now three years later and in Vancouver, I am still grappling with these events.

This evening at a dinner party I sat next to middle-aged man who was born and raised in Hong Kong, went to Canada for school at the age of 16 in Victoria, BC and later university in London, ON. Afterwards he basically settled here for over 30 years.

He asked me what it was like during the protests in 2019, could there have been 2 million people on the streets? I said that there were some people who did the whole march and then went back to Causeway Bay to walk it again.

How could the Hong Kong government have not seen what the people wanted? How could it not have listened to them?

From this day police became more aggressive

As I told him I have lived there for 18 years in total, the last stretch from 2010 until four months ago, he then knew that I had seen Hong Kong's progression, as I had witnessed the Umbrella Movement and then the 2019 protests.

The last time he visited Hong Kong was in 2012 and even then he could feel the tension, with Hongkongers frustrated with mainlanders coming to the city to buy everything from shampoo to food to luxury goods to flats.

He used to visit Hong Kong every 10 years, but the pandemic and the passing of his father in 2020 in Vancouver put an end to that. Seeing how the city has changed in the last few years has made him uninterested in going back, though he admits missing eating certain foods, like liver sausage wrapped in steamed rice rolls, and snake soup.

When the protests erupted three years ago, he only saw snippets of it in news reports or on social media. It wasn't until he watched the documentary, Revolution of Our Times did he finally get to see the comprehensive picture of the protests from beginning to end. 

He says some friends are very yellow, others are the deepest hue of blue, and at times finds it hard to navigate conversations as diplomatically as possible. 

This documentary gives a fuller picture of protests

This is not an isolated problem, as every other Hongkongers has had to deftly figure out who is blue and who is yellow and steer clear of politics as much as possible. This is the reality these days, there is no green, or middle ground.

We all love Hong Kong, and the ones who have left love it just as much as those who are still there. Which is why we remember all the anniversaries, because this is a collective memory -- we saw what happened and we will not forget.

Pageant Contestants Catch Covid

The pageant is postponed until contestants recover

Should we be surprised? The Miss Hong Kong Pageant was supposed to hold its semi-finals this coming Sunday, but has been postponed for now as five contestants have tested positive for Covid-19.

In addition hosts Eric Tsang Chi-wai and Fanny Ip Hoi-yan have tested positive too.

Tsang tested positive for Covid

This is the first time the annual event has been impacted by the virus. The previous two years TVB managed to hold the event with social-distancing restrictions.

It is unclear when the semi-finals will be held, though all contestants will be taking PCR tests, while rehearsals and promotional activities will be stopped for now.

On Monday Hong Kong recorded 8,488 new cases, of which 236 were imported.

Meanwhile with school starting soon, students and teachers are advised to start doing rapid antigen tests two days before the first day of school. They should also get their third jab. 

Kindergarten operators are lobbying the education minister Christine Choi Yuk-lin to not suspend face-to-face classes after she said the government might suspend whole-day classes if the number of cases surpasses 10,000.

Kindergartens hope to stay open this year

"These two to three years in the pandemic have been uncertain. Last year, classes kept pausing and resuming, our staff has already prepared for such changes... but the best is that classes are not affected," said Rosa Chow Wai-chun, president of the Early Childhood Educators Association.

Currently kindergartens can only hold half-day classes in person, though some operators arrange for half day classes and then the other half is "daycare".

It's tough to be a student during the pandemic. In-class learning is the best way to ensure students don't fall behind and develop the social skills they need to navigate the community they live in.

Meanwhile beauty pageants can wait. Hardly essential viewing...

James Tien Quits Liberal Party he Founded

Tien says there is no future for political parties in Hong Kong

The political space for moderates has closed shut with James Tien Pei-chun, resigning from the pro-establishment Liberal Party he founded more than 30 years ago.

He along with two others, Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee and Miriam Lau Kin-yee resigned from the party as honorary chairs after learning on August 10 that the party leadership, led by Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, planned to abolish the position.

The honorary chair position was created to honour past leaders for their contributions.

Chow, Tien and Lau resigned from the party

But now they are not wanted and pre-empted being kicked out by showing themselves out the door.

Tien said pro-Beijing politicians are trying to prove their loyalty to Beijing even though it's not even asked, by distancing themselves from anyone deemed controversial.

"This is something they think they must do to please Beijing, a way they work in the hope of retaining their jobs in public office," he said.

With Beijing completely overhauling Hong Kong's electoral system, Tien says the space for political discussion has also shrunk.

"There is no future in all political parties. Beijing's electoral overhaul is diminishing the role of parties and eliminating differences in opinion," he said.

The Liberal Party met on August 10 and members voted unanimously to abolish the position. Cheung later issued a statement regretting that the trio had resigned and said the leadership was "trying to persuade them to stay".

Cheung is the chairman of the Liberal Party

An honorary chair for 12 years, Tien said this was yet another example of how pro-Beijing politicians are trying to please Beijing, even though they probably did not receive any directives from the liaison office.

"I don't think it was an instruction by the liaison office to get rid of iconic politicians who had been outspoken," he said.

However, not that he has no political affiliation, Tien feels more free to speak out.

He believes the riff between him, Chow and Lau and Cheung began during the 2019 extradition protests. 

They had urged then chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to set up an independent investigative committee to create "genuine dialogue with peaceful protesters". But their suggestion was criticised by some party members who believed they were siding with "black-clad protesters who damaged the rule of law".

Tien seems to be a man who speaks his mind and stands by his decisions.

He was a member of the Executive Council for then chief executive Tung Chee-hwa. When half a million people came out to protest against Article 23, Tien quit Exco. 

In 2014, he faced expulsion from Beijing's top advisory body, the Chinese People's Consultative Conference, after calling on then leader Leung Chun-ying to step down over an impasse on political reform.

In 2014 Tien called on Leung to resign

Two years later he claimed Beijing's liaison office had instructed him to discourage party colleague Ken Chow Wing-kan from running in the Legislative Council election.

Then in 2017, the Liberal Party was divided between supporting two candidates in the chief executive race. Tien and others supported former financial secretary John Tsang Chun-wah, while Cheung and his cohorts rallied behind the eventual winner, Lam.

In addition, unlike many pro-Beijing politicians, Tien objected to the national security law in 2020, saying the legislation should only be used sparingly.

Hong Kong is going to miss people like Tien, giving the voice of reason among the crowd of pro-Beijing patriots.

From now on opinions are going to be more extreme and irrational... is this what Beijing wants for the city? Hardly seems like the best way to govern Hong Kong...

Living with Covid, HK and Vancouver

Nine or more per table and everyone needs to show RAT tests

With the rapid increase of Covid-19 cases in Hong Kong, the government has introduced a new measure sure to hit Chinese restaurants again. People dining with more than eight at the table must produce negative rapid antigen tests a maximum of 24 hours before entry.

Previously people who wanted to go to bars and clubs had to produce RAT tests, but now it's locals having family gatherings or birthday parties that will also have to do the same, making it more egalitarian in a way, and not targeting one segment of the population.

Chinese restaurants have seen bookings of nine people or more cancelled, or perhaps they will see two different people booking tables and requesting to be next to each other? This is where Hongkongers get creative and restaurants are willing to turn a blind eye...

Those going to bars, clubs must show RAT results

William So Man-sing, assistant general manager of London Restaurant, a Chinese cuisine outlet in Mongkok anticipates a 20 percent drop in business. He has also bought extra RAT tests for customers who show up forgetting to do the test, though they have to pay HK$10 for it. 

"I have to cater space for a test area and also need to clean and disinfect the place every time. I hope patrons can do their rapid tests at home, it will be more convenient," So said.

There is a seven-day grace period, but restaurants are hoping the government can extend it by another week. 

Some people reacted by saying they are not deterred from organising large gatherings and will make conducting RAT tests a habit, while others think it's a good idea to do the test before meeting friends and loved ones.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said on a radio show he hoped residents would cooperate and self-test before attending gatherings and banquets.

"As people take off their masks at such events, the risk of spreading the coronavirus is larger," he said.

In Vancouver masking is a personal choice

"The daily caseload has been increasing, and could possibly exceed 10,000 infections. We need to strike a balance between people's livelihood and anti-epidemic needs," he added. 

"We hope that when the infection numbers decreases, we can relax the rules again."

Yet another setback for restaurants, particularly Chinese ones as they struggle to make ends meet after over two years of the pandemic. 

There are still many people who refuse to go out much, let alone eat in big groups, while others go about life almost as normal -- with a mask on -- except when dining in restaurants.

It also shows the government is trying to be somewhat reasonable, but how do you decide eight to a table and say not 10? For wedding banquets it's totally understandable for everyone to produce a negative test, but for a dim sum gathering? 

Everyone has different comfort levels. 

Henry is not calling for mask mandates again

Here in British Columbia, the provincial health officer Bonnie Henry is not enforcing a mask mandate, but instead urges people to get vaccinated, including children, observe good hygiene and if you don't feel well, stay at home.

Compared to Hong Kong it seems very lax and many people refuse to go back to mask-wearing or don't see the effectiveness of it, or have pandemic fatigue.

One colleague said she stopped wearing masks everywhere she goes and thinks our office is too extreme in recommending employees wear masks, while a few of us wear it because we live with elderly parents and don't want to inadvertently pass on the virus. 

That made her realise there still is a broad spectrum of opinions when it comes to the pandemic, and those who are cautious need to be respected for their concerns.

Covid-19 Priorities in China, Hong Kong

Firefighter getting a PCR test, with wildfires burning nearby

Imagine you're a firefighter in Chongqing, Sichuan province, and there are wildfires just outside the city in the mountains.

So you and your fire brigade rush to the area -- only to be forced to take PCR tests for Covid-19 first.

Even though the forests are burning in the distance since August 2 caused by the heatwave there, fighting the pandemic takes priority.

One would think being outside and wearing oxygen masks there would not be the need to be tested for Covid-19.

But that's China's zero-Covid policy.

Lo scaremongering the public in Hong Kong

While Hong Kong doesn't have wildfires, its authorities are trying to scaremonger its residents into staying at home and locking themselves in their own homes until the pandemic is over.

Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau gave such a warning in yesterday's press conference. 

"We cannot promise that there may not be other social-distancing measures. In fact if you look at the whole world, there are different emerging diseases coming up, from SARS to the avian flu, we have different Ebola viruses, we have different emerging diseases coming up, and then this Covid came out two and a half years ago. Nobody would imagine it would stay for so long. and now we also have the monkey pox," he says, piling on a laundry list of viruses. 

"So there is no reason that the government can promise that we would not introduce other measures to control emerging infectious diseases," he continues. 

"Covid is still mutating, we are seeing new mutants coming up and in case there is a more virulent Covid coming up, mutant coming up, we cannot guarantee there will not be other social-distancing measures to control the pandemic or a new emerging disease."

If you are someone who doesn't have friends overseas telling you the Omicron strain is not that severe if as long as you are vaccinated, or if you don't read the news reports from other countries explaining the mutated virus is more transmissible but less severe -- you would be so terrified of even opening your door and going outside your home.

Then on top of that 30 percent of Hong Kong's elderly population over 80 have not even been vaccinated. Lo admitted as much. 

"If they contract Covid, the mortality rate is in the region of 16 percent. And we have to learn from history, in the fifth wave, we do suffer a serious situation with a high mortality of over 9,000 deaths. And the whole public health system is overworked," he says. 

"So I would urge you -- anyone who said that we can easily lift with the virus now as other countries I would submit I cannot agree with that as a responsible government we have to protect the health of our people, even though they are elderly, every life matters."

One can surmise that Lo is saying the entire Hong Kong population is being held hostage by these elderly people who refuse to get jabbed. 

What a responsible and caring government... one that is willing to slash and burn its own economy, its next generation and its future by continuing to shut Hong Kong down for the sake of the elderly.

It's a message not many people aren't going to understand and accept...

Hong Kong Could See Over 10K Cases Next Week

Au (left) says the public needs to take safety precautions

Hong Kong is seeing a seriously large uptick in the number of Covid-19 cases -- the vast majority of them are local infections, not imported.

On August 25, the city reported 8,579 cases, including 297 imported ones.

Albert Au Ka-wing from the Centre for Health Protection warned the daily number of new infections could soon pass the 10,000 mark next week. The last time it reached 10,000 cases was on March 25 with 10,405 infections.

Police Commissioner Siu recently caught Covid

"There is a quite rapid increase in cases, indicating that the transmission in the community is increasing. There is a need for the general public to take additional precautionary measures in preventing transmission and infection," Au said.

Seems like that advice was not heeded by several senior government officials who have now caught the virus.

They include Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing and Commerce Secretary Algermon Yau Ying-wah, as well as immigration chief Au Ka-wang, and police commissioner Raymond Siu Chak-yee.

With the number of cases surging, infectious diseases expert Leung Chi-chiu suggested that people cut down on their social activities.

"Now there are up to 5,000 hospital beds [for Covid patients]. If we have say 14,000 cases a day and every day around 500 are admitted to hospital for eight to nine days, our beds will all be occupied," he said.

Leung says socialising needs to be cut down

So basically people are back to being shut in their homes as much as possible in the sweltering heat, unable to meet with friends and family after their mental health has taken such a toll in almost three years.

People need to have some kind of hope, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel instead of constantly implementing more and more severe social-distancing measures.

It's no wonder more and more people are packing up and leaving Hong Kong. While for some it was the national security law, others have had enough of the city's "zero-Covid" strategy that seems to yield even more cases... 

Picture of the Day: Christmas is Coming

It's Christmas at Costco, but it's August and 28 degrees outside

Once a month or so, my dad and I head to Costco to pick up mostly food supplies -- nuts, snacks, vegetables, fruits, toilet paper, roast chicken and the odd piece of clothing. 

Today we checked out the Costco in downtown Vancouver. It was my first time there, and it's quite large, everything laid out well, and has almost the same items as the Richmond one -- which apparently is the most busy in North America.

Walking down the aisles we were shocked to see one area stocked with CHRISTMAS items, from fake Christmas trees to giant baubles as floor decorations, Christmas crackers and LED lights.

We're in late August wearing T-shirts and shorts, and Halloween hasn't even happened yet.

We don't need this reminder of winter coming...

Picture of the Day: Expensive Mooncakes

Mid-Autumn Festival is fast approaching on September 10, and Asian supermarkets are selling mooncakes now.

The ones I saw at H-Mart are starting from CAD$64 for traditional lotus seed paste with salted duck yolks, to CAD$84 for ones with mixed nuts.

However probably the most luxe ones are The Peninsula Hong Kong's which have finally made their way across the Pacific.

But you have to pay the luxe prices for it if you're dying for those famous egg custard mooncakes with a western pastry.

At Holt Renfrew, the Barney's of Canada, they cost CAD$118 to $180, but now I see at T&T Supermarket they're starting at CAD$99...

In Hong Kong at the Peninsula Boutique, the eight-piece mooncake box is HK$448 (CAD$74).

Shipping, inflation... highway robbery... any other reasons?

It will be very interesting to see if they sell out with mainland Chinese residents snapping them up -- or not.

Albert Ho Out on Bail

Ho greeted upon his release on bail

It was a nice surprise to see former pro-democratic lawmaker Albert Ho Chun-yan released on bail yesterday. He was jailed in May 2021 for 18 months for illegal assembly related to June 4, but then recently had a national security charge laid against him too for allegedly inciting others to subvert state power.

The 70-year-old looked like he lost some weight, as his colleague Emily Lau Wai-hing and and ex-district councillor Tsang Kin-shing came to pick Ho up.

Ho was serving an 18-month sentence

Lau posted a picture of Ho on her social media accounts, letting people know he was released.

He has a series of conditions he must follow, including: a cash bail of HK$700,000, reporting to the Wan Chai Police Station three times a week (where he could be re-arrested again anytime), he must surrender travel documents, observe nighttime curfews, and not contact any foreign officials directly or indirectly.

Ho has had cancer before, and had undergone surgery for lung cancer several years ago, but there are concerns the cancer has returned in an X-ray taken recently.

"He wanted to conduct a full body check... as we were worried that [he] may relapse," Lau said. "I am overjoyed [his bail was granted], as we did not have many expectations since there has been too much bad news recently."

Canadian MPs Plan Visit to Taiwan

Holcomb with Taiwan President Tsai in Taipei

The Governor of Indiana Eric Holcomb has touched down in Taiwan for trade talks and there are fears as to what China will do to retaliate.

In the meantime a group of Canadian Members of Parliament are looking to travel to Taiwan as early as October ostensibly for a Canada-Taiwan "friendship group", and that the Taiwanese government is footing the bill.

The eight MPs are members of both this friendship group and a committee on international trade, so there may be trade talks involved.

Trudeau warns MPs to think of consequences

However, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is concerned about the upcoming trip after seeing what happened following US Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit with China surrounding the island as it conducted live military drills in the water, with some missiles landing in Japanese waters.

"Canada has a long-standing position around China and Taiwan that we will ensure to respect. China's belligerence around this and their position is, of course, as it has been for a while, troubling," he said.

"We will ensure that the parliamentarians making the decision to travel or not will be done with all the reflections of the consequences and the impacts of it."

In other words he wants these MPs to think twice about going to Taiwan.

New Democrat MP and international trade committee member Brian Masse said earlier that Canadians "must support other democracies that have fought for their rights and freedoms."

Randy Hoback, Conservative MP and committee vice-chair, said MPs in the Canada-Taiwan parliamentary "friendship group" used to go to Taiwan about twice a year before Covid-19 restricted travel. He has visited Taiwan before.

Hoback says "friendship group" going to Taiwan

However, Hoback said he will consult Global Affairs Canada before going on the trip now. "There's no intent on my part to antagonise China," he said.

Understandable, but at the same time the United States has already paved the way, so why not keep a stream of visitors coming to Taiwan to show support and get a trade deal on the side? 

Foreign companies are pulling out of China and looking for alternatives, so Taiwan is a possibility, and its products particularly in the agricultural sector are considered high quality. 

Size-wise Taiwan is a dot compared to China, but as Pelosi says, it is one of the few democratic places in Asia and deserves to be supported as much as possible.

Trudeau needs to look at the bigger picture. The more other countries support Taiwan, that's an effective way to keep China in check, otherwise the bullying will continue.

29 of 47 Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Activists Plead Guilty

Supporters hold banners for the 47 involved in the primaries

The 47 pro-democracy activists, lawmakers and academics who were arrested in January 2021 for participating in a primary election to help determine who would be the strongest candidates to run in the Legislative Council elections (that were later rescinded). 

They were charged with subversion of state power by attempting to "seize the ruling power of Hong Kong", according to the liaison office in Western.

Tai, organiser of the primaries, pleads guilty

But in July 2020 when the primaries were held over a weekend, hundreds of thousands of people took part. And primary elections are legal according to Article 52 in the Basic Law. 

And before that in November 2019. the pro-democracy camp practically swept the district council elections, taking 17 of the 18 districts. For many of the voters, it was a referendum on how the Hong Kong government dealt with the anti-extradition protests.

The pro-democracy activists are being punished severely, charged with violating the national security law. If convicted the minimum sentence is 10 years, maximum life in prison.

So how do you plead when you legally did nothing wrong, but you know you won't win in court, and yet you want to spend as less time in prison as possible?

Of the 47, 29 have opted to plead guilty, which means the remaining 18 will go to trial.

Wong Ji-yuet pleads guilty for shorter jail time

One reason why they may have pleaded guilty is because going to trial is tiresome for the prisoner who has to go through a series of procedures designed to be humiliating and physically demanding. A former prisoner, Samuel Bickett has suggested it's easier to just keep your head down in jail to be able to survive another day.

He admires those who have decided to go to trial, which could last months, and at the same time has high regard for those who have chosen the path of less resistance and pleaded guilty.

PLEAD GUILTY:

Benny Tai Yiu-ting

Au Nok-hin

Andrew Chiu Ka-yin

Ben Chung Kam-lun

Tiffany Yuen Ka-wai

Fergus Leung Fong-wai

Andy Chui Chi-kin

Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit

Claudia Mo Man-chung

Frankie Fung Tat-chun

Nathan Lau Chak-fung

Joshua Wong Chi-fung

Jeremy Tam Man-ho

Kinda Li Ka-tat

Tam Tak-chi

Wu Chi-wai

Eddie Chu Hoi-dick

Sam Cheung Ho-sum

Prince Wong Ji-yuet

Andrew Wan Siu-kin

Kwok Ka-ki

Carol Ng Man-yee

Roy Tam Hoi-pong

Ventus Lau Wing-hong

Alvin Yeung Ngok-wai

Gary Fan Kwok-wai

Hendrick Lui Chi-hang

Lester Shum

Henry Wong Pak-yu

PLEAD NOT GUILTY:

Gordon Ng Ching-hang

Clarisse Yeung Suet-ying

Michael Pang Cheuk-kei

Kalvin Ho Kai-ming

Lawrence Lau Wai-chung

Helena Wong Pik-wan

Sze Tak-loy

Ng Kin-wai

Gwyneth Ho Kwai-lam

Raymond Chan Chi-chuen

Owen Chow Ka-shing

Lam Cheuk-ting

Leung Kwok-hung

Mike Lam King-nam

Ricky Or Yiu-lam

Lee Yue-shun

Winnie Yu Wai-ming

Cheng Tat-tung

Kidnapped Billionaire Sentenced to 13 Years Jail

Xiao has been sentenced to 13 years in prison

Big news coming out of China with billionaire Xiao Jianhua, 50, sentenced to 13 years in prison for embezzlement and bribery in a court in Shanghai. His company, Tomorrow Group, was fined more than US$8 billion.

Five years ago around Chinese New Year, there was a bizarre story that Xiao, who lived in the Four Seasons Hong Kong apartments, was visited by Chinese agents, who quickly subdued his female bodyguards and he was taken out by a wheelchair with a bag covering his head. 

Xiao had close connections with political elite

The hotel has surveillance video of the time but refuses to reveal the footage.

He was whisked across the mainland border and never heard from again -- until July 4, when Canadian diplomats in China reported Xiao, who is a Canadian citizen, was standing trial. The diplomats were refused entry into the courtroom to attend the trial.

AFP reports Xiao and his firm were found guilty of "illegally absorbing public deposits, breaching trust in the use of entrusted property... [and] illegal use of funds," a statement from the Shanghai court said. It also said Tomorrow Holdings was guilty of the "crime of bribery".

It added that Xiao and his firm had "severely violated the financial management order" and "hurt state financial security".

Xi's family was apparently one of Xiao's clients

The court said Xiao and his company pleaded guilty, and had cooperated with the authorities, and so their punishment was mitigated. Perhaps Xiao's jail sentence may be shorter than 13 years?

Xiao was one of China's richest people, apparently with close connections to the political elite of the ruling Communist Party, including President Xi Jinping's family.

Perhaps he knew too much?

By 2016, Xiao's net worth was an estimated US$6 billion, according to Hurun Report, which ranks China's wealthiest people.

Xiao's kidnapping in 2017 was shocking because it was so brazen, and that it targeted wealthy people, not just businessmen like the Causeway Bay booksellers, who made money selling books that uncovered the unsavoury side of Chinese officials. 

Still no clarity on verdict, how Xiao made billions

The trial ends without any reporters able to attend so it is not clear how Xiao ran afoul of senior party leaders and why such a severe punishment.

Xiao will be over 60 when he gets out... 

Lee Gets Slap on Wrist for Violating Electoral Rules

Lee won the one-man race for CE, but not without mistakes

John Lee Ka-chiu's "election" to become Hong Kong's chief executive had many issues.

For one he was the only person running, and he still had to go through the rigmarole of electioneering. Not going out on the hustings pressing the flesh with the general public, but the over 1,200 in the election committee -- whose members he approved as the then chief secretary.

Then Lee was caught violating the election rules.

His campaign ran three advertisements on his Facebook page between April 13 and 18, in which three public figures, including Olympic medallist and table tennis coach Li Ching, Cantopop singer Alex Fong Lik-sun endorsed Lee.

Lee failed to follow the rules when 

However, he failed to submit copies of the trio's consent of support within one working day after the ads' publication in accordance to the guidelines.

In June Lee asked the High Court to exempt him from liability for failing to follow the Electoral Procedure, and today he was handed the judgment -- Madam Justice Queeny Au Yeung Kwai-yue accepted his fault was "purely out of inadvertence in the midst of heavy workload, tight time frames, limited manpower and lack of communication".

She noted his electioneering team had overlooked only three forms, whereas about 800 similar documents had been published on his online election platform before the discovery of the breach.

"This is not a case where someone turned a blind eye to legal requirements," the judge said.

"The non-compliance was caused by inadvertence. The inadvertence was not gross as to call in doubt the good faith of Mr Lee or [his] campaign office. The remedy to the non-compliance was prompt. The delay in uploading was a relatively short one. There was no bad faith shown."

For that Lee was punished with a fine of HK$64,289 (US$8,199) towards the cost incurred by the secretary for justice, who took a neutral position on the proceedings.

It would have been awkward for the Chief Executive if he was handed a more serious punishment! God forbid he would have jail time or have to do hours of community service. 

Though many would probably appreciate having him in an orange jumpsuit sweeping sidewalks or folding envelopes....

Picture of the Day: View from Cambie Street Bridge

The view looking west at False Creek as the sun was setting

Today is another day in Vancouver at 29 degrees, which is a delightful temperature in Hong Kong, and lower humidity at 59 percent.

After work I had a dinner to go to on Broadway between Cambie and Oak streets. So from downtown I walked across the Cambie Street Bridge, which I haven't done in ages. It took just over 10 minutes to walk, and parts of it were shaded by trees which was nice. There was also a breeze to make me feel less sweaty.

While at the middle of the bridge I stopped to snap this photo, the sun still blazing hot at 7pm, and boats gliding effortlessly in False Creek.

 

First Canadian Charged with NSL

Former Sing Tao editor Ho is charged with violating NSL

Depressing news coming out of Hong Kong -- the 47 activists, lawmakers and academics who are charged with "conspiracy to subversion" for organising an unofficial primary election among pan-democrats two years ago, will not have a trial by jury. Instead three judges picked by the government will hear their case.

This is the first time in 177 years in Hong Kong's common law legal system for this to happen, but since the national security law was implemented in July 2020, the judiciary is perceived as less than egalitarian.

Lai will be tried in a non-jury trial

A few hours later it was announced that Apple Daily founder and tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying's case will also be a non-jury trial, as directed in both cases by the justice minister.

The verdicts are a foregone conclusion.

Across the Pacific there's a person who has been charged with subversion too.

Victor Ho Leung-mau is a former editor of Sing Tao in Vancouver. On July 27, he and two others held a press conference in Toronto to announce the formation of Hong Kong Parliament Electoral Organizing Committee. 

It has a really long name, but its goal is to establish a "Hong Kong parliament" in exile. One of the founding members is ex-lawmaker-elect Baggio Leung Chung-hang. The 35-year-old sought asylum in the United States following the implementation of the national security law.

The group wants to follow the examples of Uyghurs who have their own World Uyghur Congress, and Tibetans have the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, and set up a political body for the Hong Kong diaspora. 

Leung is also charged with subverting state power

"It is the Committee's belief that only a genuine democratic election could literally [speak up] for the people of Hong Kong," a statement read.

Days after the two-hour press conference, the Hong Kong government issued a statement that stated Ho was wanted for allegedly subverting state power.

"How did we suddenly get to a place where I have become like a fugitive... just because I was talking about a political concept that can or can't really materialise?" he said to the Vancouver Sun.

Well, the Security Bureau takes any threat seriously. And surely Ho should have known forming such a committee was bound to attract attention from the Hong Kong authorities? If not, he is naive at how far Beijing will go to crush dissent.

His friends and family are worried, not just for him, but for themselves being associated with who the Hong Kong government now considers a serious threat.

"We are Chinese-Canadians in Canada and now we have to hold back from joining in such a conceptual exercise related to Hong Kong. When we came here, we thought we could live in an open society without fear. Now, you have fear, because they are saying [the national security law] applies worldwide. I myself am not scared, but I have family members who are," he said.

Ho and another co-founder of the committee

Two Members of Parliament have written letters, as well as the Chinese-Canadian Concern Group on the Chinese Communist Party's Human Rights Violations, telling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly to publicly oppose Hong Kong's actions.

No response yet, but the response has to be strong to demonstrate Canada's commitment to universal rights and freedoms...

Teachers Must Study Xi's July 1 Speech

Xi at the July 1 handover ceremony in Hong Kong

After Chinese President Xi Jinping gave his speech in Hong Kong on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the handover back to the mainland, civil servants were directed to study it.

The business sector, with such bodies as the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, and the Business and Professional Alliance of Hong Kong, as well as the IT industry in Science Park held study seminars.

Now the education sector is mandating that teachers must "study and learn" Xi's address, that they had to read and understand its "key messages" including his expectations for the city.

Teachers from various schools study Xi's words

What are these main points?

- Improving governance

- Creating a strong impetus for growth

- Handling people's concerns

- Maintaining social harmony and stability

The Education Bureau says the speech "fully expresses President Xi's love and care for young people in Hong Kong, and his earnest hope of providing "better education for children".

Educators were also expected to "accurately comprehend the constitutional order under 'one country, two systems', deepen their awareness of the trends in both the country and the world, and understand the importance of Hong Kong's integration into the overall development of our country," the bureau said.

Primary and secondary schools will receive copies of the speech, while 

Lam says teachers should study speech

Nancy Lam Chui-ling, principal of Tsuen Wan Trade Association Chu Cheong Kindergarten, also supported the bureau's decision.

"While kindergarten children may be too young to understand the messages in the president's speech, it is important for teachers to study it," she said.

"Teachers form a key part of local education. They should develop a positive attitude about Hong Kong and its development so that they can properly teach our children."

First of all, what are teachers supposed to impart from Xi's speech? His main points are broad and more directed at senior government officials. Also, if a teacher doesn't have a positive attitude about his or her profession, then they wouldn't be teachers in the first place. Surely they don't need what the president says to "guide" them. 

This exercise of making people read Xi's speech and have study sessions to discuss it are just a bid to tick boxes. It is also a very strong signal of how Hong Kong is being further mainlandized.

Veteran China-watcher Johnny Lau Yui-siu doubted the effectiveness of such "formalistic seminars" to study state leaders' speeches just to show they were trying to "unify thoughts" within the sector.

Meanwhile political scientist Chan Wai-keung, from the Hong Kong Community College of Polytechnic University, also expressed concerns about "formalism".

Xi's book available at Hong Kong Book Fair

"That is very mainland-style. Hong Kong people are not quite used to this... If it is just... for formalities' sake, it will not serve much purpose. People may just show up for the sake of attending and the Hong Kong public will not take it too seriously either," Chan said.

The Hong Kong government has been given the directive to push its residents to conform with the mainland, and studying Xi's speech is one way to emulate what is done in China.

When I was in Beijing and worked in state media, in the late afternoon once in a while my local colleagues would disappear to study then President Hu Jintao's "Three Represents" speech.

A few confided it was very boring, but at the same time were resigned to the reality that they had to attend these study sessions as part of their obligation as a Communist Party member.

Hong Kong residents must study Xi's speech, member or not... Indoctrination is moving full speed ahead...

China's Zero-Covid Price

Empty street in Sanya, Hainan after it was locked down

How much has Covid-19 and the zero-Covid policy damaged China's economy?

Home sales have plunged 28.6 percent, property investment 12.3 percent. 

Crude steel output is down 6.4 percent.

Meanwhile retail sales edged slightly at 2.7 percent, and industrial output at 3.8 percent.

Youth unemployment is at a record high

The worst number of all is youth unemployment jumping to a record 19.9 percent. That means one in every five young person is unemployed.

This is not what any government wants to see, let alone Beijing. There are fewer job prospects for young people because the economy is not moving, because of China's zero-Covid policy, which has resulted in erratic lockdowns.

Over 150,000 people were locked down in Sanya, Hainan, forced to stay in their hotel room for weeks, and being tested constantly. After seeing that, who would want to travel anywhere in China?

And then there was a viral video of people being locked up in an Ikea store in Shanghai because a close contact of an infected person was in there. People were at the exit pushing the door open while security guards on the other side were trying to keep it closed but to no avail -- they pushed their way through and hoofed it out of there. Who wants to go shopping anymore if they could be locked in a store at any time?

Scenes of people pushing their way out of Ikea

Covid-19 has also caused supply disruptions in China's construction industry, but mostly it's banking issues, with developers running out of cash and buyers are now squatting in half finished apartments with no running water and electricity.

Meanwhile everywhere else in the world, people are traveling freely -- Paris and London seem to be the most popular destinations this summer -- and people are out and about shopping and dining. The economy is hampered by retail and hospitality sectors being short staffed, but other than that, life is almost back to normal.

Why is this all happening? Because Beijing wants zero-Covid. It is desperate to show the world that its draconian measures are the way forward in defeating the virus.

Except China.

Most worrying is the almost 20 percent unemployment rate for young people.

Buyers squat in empty, half-finished flats 

They are going to put the blame squarely on Xi Jinping for them not being able to find jobs, and many of them need to work to support families, especially if their parents are retired. 

If Xi Dada wants to garner an image of a supportive and endearing father figure, then he needs to create a lot of jobs very fast to dispel resentment, or worse -- rebellion -- among the next generation.