175 district councilors condemn FCC, Andy Chan

Hong Kong’s Foreign Correspondents’ Club has challenged the “bottom line” of the central government and Chinese people, and betrayed the profession of journalism, 175 district councilors in the New Territories said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

The statement came after the FCC hosted a luncheon talk by Hong Kong National Party convener Andy Chan Ho-tin on Aug 14. The party is an unregistered political group that explicitly advocates the independence of Hong Kong.

The signatories, accounting for 70 percent of all 250 district councilors in the New Territories, also condemned Chan for undermining national unity and the country’s territorial integrity.

Even though the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government repeatedly tried to persuade the FCC to call off the event, the press club still provided the venue for Chan to spread his separatism notion, the councilors said in the statement.

The councilors, representing all nine district councils in the New Territories, strongly condemned the FCC for “assisting” Chan in advocating separation of the country.

“We firmly support the Hong Kong government to regulate or punish pro-independence acts according to the law,” they said in the statement.

They also condemned the FCC for intervening in the internal affairs of Hong Kong and the country in a provoking manner.

The statement said that Chan and his party have “frequently” and “explicitly” advocated Hong Kong independence, which undermined national unity and territorial integrity.

“His acts violated the national Constitution and the Basic Law, and have seriously jeopardized national security,” the statement said.

Cheung Hok-ming, chairman of the Tai Po District Council and organizer of the joint statement, said it reflected the “voices of dissatisfaction from the grassroots” based on complaints they have received from the residents.

The vice-chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk, the statutory body representing indigenous inhabitants of the New Territories, said if Chan and the FCC make further illegal moves, they may consider further moves to reflect people’s attitude, including signature campaigns in the city.

Chairman of the Yuen Long District Council Wilson Shum Ho-kit echoed Cheung’s views. The solicitor said it’s “universally recognized” that any acts advocating or assisting in the advocacy of Hong Kong independence cross the bottom line of the freedom of speech, press, as they undermine national security.