Political situation
Written by: Lin Jian
2021-03-15 07:00
Last update date: 2021-03-15 07:00
2021 is believed to be an extremely difficult year for Hong Kong democrats.
In early January, more than 50 people were arrested for 35+ primary elections and 47 people were prosecuted. Most of them are currently being returned. Beijing has implemented changes to the Hong Kong election system, greatly increasing the threshold for the chief executive election and the legislative council election, and lowering it. Proportion of direct elections to the Legislative Council; a series of enforcement actions have pushed the democrats into a low ebb and become panic. Even the protesters with a history of nearly two decades, the People's League, are facing a crisis of "disintegration."
A reporter from "Hong Kong 01" interviewed Ho Chun-jen, former chairman of the Democratic Party and vice chairman of the stake, to talk in detail about the democrats and the political prospects of Hong Kong.
He Junren believes that Beijing's Hong Kong policy in recent years has tended to "no communication, no concessions, and no understanding." Everything is handled in the most severe manner, and the scope of the blow has been extended to the greatest extent.
He also quoted a warning from the veterans of the Chinese Communist Party more than 30 years ago, saying that Beijing's most feared work in Hong Kong and Macao is "one left and two narrow": it takes the extreme left line and makes too many enemies.
But judging from the recent situation, Beijing’s Hong Kong policy seems to be heading this old path again. Instead of isolating the enemy, it is uniting the entire democrats. It also seems that even the "moderate democrats" are not the way out.
As a predecessor of the democrats who have fought with the Chinese Communist Party for nearly 40 years, He Junren believes that the political struggle in Hong Kong is far from reaching its end. After the democrats are purged, the incumbents will continue to look for new enemies. Among them, the business community will be particularly at risk. Group of people.
He sent a message to the younger generation, no matter if they don’t like the mainland of China, they must have sufficient knowledge of Chinese culture, history, and the Communist Party of China. Only by understanding their opponents can they know themselves and their opponents, and they will light up a ray of light in the difficult days ahead and continue. Fight for democracy.
Recalling political reform controversy: private negotiation is practically impossible to avoid
He Junren served as the chairman of the Democratic Party from 2006 to 2012. One of his tasks during his tenure was to negotiate political reforms with the Liaison Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to promote the approval of the plan.
However, according to another former chairman of the Democratic Party, Emily Liu, there has been no meaningful communication between Beijing and the democrats since 2010.
Looking back on this period of history, He Junren said that the situation that has developed to this day is distressing.
He pointed out that the reason for agreeing to release administrative reforms that year was that even if the 2012 double universal suffrage was not achieved, the central government would be able to agree to the timetable and roadmap for the 2017 universal election of the chief executive, and the plan has finally taken a small step forward. At least the democrats are possible. Nominating a candidate for chief executive was also the most reasonable and practical decision under extremely limited conditions at that time.
However, under the new system, Ho thinks that it is no longer possible for actual competition to occur.
He Junren pointed out that before the 8.31 decision of the National People's Congress in 2014, central officials did communicate with members of the democratic legislature.
However, in retrospect, he felt that this type of event where all parties met with the Beijing officials at one time was difficult to talk about in reality: "In front of everyone, everyone must have their own position at the beginning. In fact, there is no chance to have a frank dialogue. Some sensitive topics may be talked about, and we must talk privately and intensively before we can reach some specific consensus. Of course, some friends will dislike it and think that this is a "secret room negotiation", but this is the reality of history." He said, During the negotiation process, the most important thing is that the two parties each abide by the basic principles, sit down and talk with each other respectfully and reciprocally, negotiate within the limits of their respective bottom lines, and announce the results as soon as they are obtained.
Extended reading: Interview ︱ Chuan "Super District" will be abolished Emily Liu: After 2010, Beijing will no longer communicate with the democrats
▼In 2010, the five districts' general resignation and political reform disputes▼
The united front isolates the enemy, but Beijing unites the enemy
In any case, the communication between the democrats and Beijing cannot continue. Since the 8.31 decision of the National People's Congress in 2014 and the subsequent Umbrella Movement, Hong Kong society has become polarized between yellow and blue.
The 2019 legislative amendment disturbance triggered the worst social unrest in Hong Kong since the 1967 Leftist riots, leading to Beijing's decision to rectify the situation in Hong Kong. First, there was a "Hong Kong National Security Law", and then the National People's Congress directly revised Hong Kong's electoral system.
Under this set of "combined punches", the democrats are facing the most severe crisis since their birth in the last century. The detainees in the 35+ primary elections cover almost all the spectrum of the democrats, and factions are close to being "uprooted."
As a lawyer, Junren Ho believes that the legal basis of the Department of Justice in the 35+ primaries is very far-fetched, and the approach also deviates from legal principles, which seems to be politically dominated.
"This time (primary election) arresting more than 50 people is actually very outrageous. Anyone who has received legal training knows that such "evidence" will say that others are "treason". What is this place? Officials who enforce the law really You have to be very cheeky to do it."
He Junren said that actions ranging from the legislation of the National Security Law, the raids on the primary elections, to the restructuring of the elections, have reflected Beijing's attitude towards the democrats in recent years that they "do not communicate, make concessions, or understand, but only have a hard line."
He said that before the reunification, a CCP veteran reminded Xu Jiatun, the then president of the Hong Kong branch of Xinhua News Agency (the predecessor of the Liaison Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China). Beijing seems to be following this old path: "The United Front work done by Xinhua News Agency in Hong Kong (before the reunification) failed because of "one left and two narrow". The united front is to be broad and to isolate the enemy, but now it is not, but to make enemies everywhere. The same is true internationally, and Hong Kong is the same." He believes that Beijing has attacked the democrats too broadly, and the objective result is that the democrats will be more united, because everyone is suffering the same.
▼47 democrats charged with conspiracy to subvert state power▼
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"We are no less arrested than the local faction."
In the aforementioned context, He Junren, who has been a representative of the moderate democrats for many years, directly expressed his feelings to reporters that "moderation is not the way out."
He pointed out: "We are definitely not less than the locals who are arrested and charged. We don't think that under the CCP's "ultra-left" line, (the treatment of the moderate and the radicals) will make any difference. This is very different. Unfortunately, I didn’t think they would be so insane and so crazy. Some people say that the current thunderbolt method is temporary, and later it will be a bodhisattva heart, but it is too late. Your thunderbolt method has caused a lot of things to be destroyed. The confidence of Hong Kong people and the reputation of Hong Kong have been destroyed."
There are accusations by the pro-Central faction that the so-called "moderate pan-democrats" have gotten closer and closer to the radical protesters in the past two years, which led to the situation today.
He Junren expressed that he strongly disagrees with this statement, believing that it oversimplifies the problem and does not have a clear understanding of what is really happening in Hong Kong.
Ho Chun-jen pointed out that the Democratic Party’s position has always been very clear. It does not approve of violence and opposes "privileging." It also discouraged attacks on the Legislative Council that day.
However, he mentioned that what really caused the situation to get out of control was the government's forcible intrusion to amend the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance; when police used excessive force and pro-government personnel violently attacked others, the government adopted a conniving attitude and the young people refused to yield and continue to resist.
All these have caused antagonism between the people and the government, and hatred cannot be resolved.
He also doesn't believe that saying "seceding seats" by mainstream people will be of substantial help to the situation, because the source of hatred is the government, and some young people are indeed overly impulsive, but their behavior is not directly proportional to the treatment they receive.
"Of course we (the Democratic Party) will not approve of violence, but you (the government) did not cut off from the police, but criticized us for "not being separated from the demonstrators." This statement is meaningless."
Fighting with the CCP for nearly forty years of political struggle will not stop the high-risk business sector
He Junren, 69, has been involved in social movement since his school days. In the 1980s, he participated in discussions on the future of Hong Kong. Later, he participated in the work of the Stake and the Democratic Party for many years, and he personally led the "ice-breaking" negotiation of political reform with the Liaison Office of the Central Committee. Beijing has been fighting for nearly 40 years, and it is believed that it is in the forefront of the democrats in terms of its understanding of the Chinese government.
He Junren quoted a saying on the Internet: "If sharp criticism disappears completely, mild criticism will become harsh; if mild criticism is not allowed, silence will be considered unpredictable; if silence is no longer allowed, praise is not hard enough. It would be a crime; if only one voice is allowed to exist, then the only voice that exists is a lie." He believes that even if the democrats are isolated from the system, most of the core figures are detained and charged, according to the current Beijing’s "to Hong Kong" The "Ultra-Left" line will definitely not end the political struggle, but will constantly look for new enemies.
"Just like in the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the land reform at the beginning was only aimed at the "very few" landlords, and then it was extended to the anti-three anti-five anti-right movements, targeting party members and intellectuals."
He Junren estimates that when the democrats decline, the education and media sectors will be rectified, and the civil resistance will weaken. In the next stage of the pro-organizational camp, there will be a battle for power and profit, and "political loyalty" is more than anything else. To quote Li Hongzhong, the current secretary of the Tianjin Municipal Party Committee, "Loyalty is not absolute disloyalty." Under this kind of thinking, the local Chinese-funded "Da Masha" may become a high-risk target of criticism: "After fighting the democrats, ( The establishment camp) will definitely fight against the local "communists," and the capitalists are also accused of "not being loyal", "only knowing how to make money," "not being committed to the motherland."
However, He believes that businessmen in capitalist society are like this. Observing the law and paying taxes is the basic requirement. To require them to love the country and the party and do too much political loyalty is actually difficult.
"Capitalism means "all things are private." Everyone thinks about the well-being of themselves and their families."
Refers to the Stake Association’s most patriotic sentiments, as young people who have been banned will not love China
Speaking of patriotism and love for the party, naturally, I have to mention the stake.
The current five outlines of the Stake are "Release the pro-democracy activists, rehabilitate the 1989 pro-democracy movement, hold the blame for the massacre, end the one-party dictatorship, and build a democratic China."
Tian Feilong, an associate professor at the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Law School and a director of the National Hong Kong and Macau Research Association, who is known as the "law guard" in the Mainland, said in November last year that the Stake Association violated both local laws and the National Security Law; Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, commented last month And when "Patriots govern Hong Kong," he further mentioned that the Communist Party of China is the founder and leader of "One Country, Two Systems." It is self-contradictory to believe that while supporting "One Country, Two Systems", it opposes the founder and leader of "One Country, Two Systems."
Under this new situation, will the stakes be banned in the future?
Even if it can continue to exist, will it be excluded from the list of "patriots" because of "opposing the Communist Party of China," and will not be allowed to participate in politics in the future?
He Junren said that the stake will continue to adhere to the policies and actions for more than 30 years and will not be afraid of the political situation.
He pointed out that the strength of the two sides is very different, and it is easy for Beijing to ban the stake, but he believes that what the stake shows is that there are still a group of democrats in Hong Kong who still retain the national sentiments, have patriotic feelings, love Chinese compatriots, and Distressed by the suffering of the nation.
"Is patriotism the only way to love the Communist Party? We have done many things in the past 20 years. I have been to the Diaoyu Islands several times. We filed lawsuits for the victims of World War II in our country, sought justice, and told oral history. Do they know? It’s easy to "kill" us... But are we a kind of "death and alive" contradiction with you? Of course we can't make the Communist Party "die", and we don't have this ability, but do you want us not to "live" Is it necessary to kill the stake?"
"We ask ourselves, how many people in Hong Kong, especially young people, still have feelings for the country to this day?" He Junren further pointed out.
He refers to the generation he grew up. Intellectuals will still "recognize Zhongguanshe" and understand Chinese history, culture, geography, and classical literature. However, after the return, the government has voluntarily weakened the education of Chinese history and culture. The political situation in recent years has also made the new generation feel that China and democratization go further and further.
"You will find that people who truly love the people, their own history, their own culture, and even their own land, as long as they don’t follow the party’s instructions and disagree with him, they can become unpatriotic or even treason. People, what does this country mean to ordinary people? This is why the young people are so disappointed.” And because of this, he believes that even if the stake is banned, the young people will not become "patriotic." .
Message to young people: understand China and keep hope in the long years
He Chun-jen, who is nearly in the past and currently has 4 lawsuits, is now less involved in Democratic Party affairs, and is currently mainly involved in stake work and litigation for democrats.
He said that as a senior, he is glad to see that the new generation has committed to Hong Kong, but he also sent a message that young people know more about China and the Communist Party of China, because regardless of their attitude towards China and the Communist Party, Hong Kong’s struggle for democracy will never have nothing to do with China.
"I said, "The opponent of the Hong Kong democrats is the CCP." I was named by (former NPC Law Committee Chairman) Qiao Xiaoyang and criticized me for "against the Central Committee." But the political reality is like this. Whether you are patriotic or not, understanding the history of the CCP is An indispensable step. Once you have an objective and comprehensive understanding, you can then measure how much you are willing to bear on Hong Kong."
What do you mean, any place in the world fighting for democracy and freedom has gone through a long period of difficult years: "Hong Kong was lucky in the past. Maybe God requires Hong Kong to be tempered. In a harsh environment, it is more necessary to maintain practical wisdom and know your own limitations. There will be life. The development of history is not expected by everyone, but don't give up, despair, and fail. In the long dark days, rational analysis, judging the situation, and sticking to the bottom line are more difficult than throwing heads on the front line and sprinkling blood. "He said that no matter how difficult the situation is, he will maintain confidence in the younger generation of Hong Kong.
▼Change of Election Committee Sector▼
Interview ︱ Tian Beichen urges the patriotic camp not to "inter-film" and sighs that some people "strive to live and express themselves"
Interview︱Zhu Zhaolin: The political circles need to be shuffled into "September 1" than to advocate "refined" revisions to the Basic Law
Election restructuring｜He Junren once participated in the 2012 Chief Executive Election: There is no meaningful competition after the restructuring
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