HK angry over China museum project

HONG KONG: Plans to boost Hong Kong’s cultural credentials by building a new branch of China’s most famous museum brainwashing and kowtowing to Beijing.

The backlash comes at a time semi- autonomous city where there is increasing concern that Chinese authorities are tightening their hold.

With its collection of ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, jades, timepieces and other items from multiple Chinese dynasties, Beijing’s Palace Mu world, with more than 14 million people coming through its doors each year.

Project organizers say a locally managed and curated Hong Kong branch, displaying artifacts on long- term loan from Beijing, would be a stellar attraction in the city.

But opponents argue that consulted before the green to please Beijing.

Recent demonstrations against - ers throwing paper tanks at of Tiananmen Square crackdown.

The Palace Museum is housed within Beijing’s Forbidden City, just north of the square where tanks rolled in to quash prodemocracy protests in 1989.

“It’s not simply brainwashing— it is cultural whitewashing by introducing more Chinese history and culture that is per - ery Ng, chairman of the League of Social Democrats.

Ng said the museum disregarded Hong Kong’s identity “including its own history and the dark side of Chinese history.”

appreciated the museum if it had been discussed transparently.

“People appreciate museums and art if you do it in a proper way,” said former legislator Lee Cheuk- yan, who organizes the

He called the lack of public museum should go ahead a “dictatorial approach.”

‘ Diluting culture’ -

The Hong Kong Palace Museum will be built in the We s t Kowloon Cultural District, a sprawling arts project already mired in delay and accusations of political interference. It originally slated for the area.

Set to open in 2022, it will be million) grant from the city’s Jockey Club, which runs Hong Kong’s horse racing meets, lottery and betting shops.

Hong Kong’s deputy leader Carrie Lam is chairman of the cultural district authority’s board and critics accuse her of pushing through the museum project to impress Beijing.

Lam is widely expected to run for city leader in March, with little hope of succeeding in her election bid without the nod from China.

But she has defended herself and the project.

“I know that today’s society is full of mistrust, but for this issue, she told reporters Tuesday.

“We should not let this tural issue be politicized.”

A six- week public consultation into the design, operation and programming for the mu- cul- seum kicked off Wednesday, after criticism mounted, but it does not ask whether the project should go ahead. The board

City residents who spoke with AFP said they did not support the project.

“By building something like this they just want to merge us together,” real estate agent Kong Lung, 27, said, adding he felt it was an example of the “mainlandization” of Hong Kong that had taken place since the city was handed back to China by Britain in 1997.

- Hong Kong and that’s already diluted the Hong Kong culture,” he said.

Others said they felt the mu

to build the Palace Museum relationship with Hong Kong,” said education publisher Danny Chung, 28.

“I think those responsible for it are trying to ingratiate - jing,” he added.