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Written by: Lin Yingxian
2021-05-10 07:30
Last update date: 2021-05-10 08:34
The 2016 Legislative Council sworn the turmoil to break the silence of the post-Occupy Central period. The anti-amendment incident in 2019 and the "Minato National Security Law" implemented last year have once again caused social turmoil.
The outgoing Canadian Consul General in Hong Kong and Macau, Nan Jerry, is taking an oath on the eve of the storm. In the past five years, he has watched the situation in Hong Kong fluctuate and said that the national security law has had a profound impact on Hong Kong. The legal framework of Hong Kong has been changed. The evidence of "collusion with foreign powers" has become imprisoned if you are careless, and some people are reluctant to contact them. The consulate has also been criticized by the Hong Kong government in recent years. He smiled bitterly at the position of consul in Hong Kong as a "hot potato."
The political situation in Hong Kong is unstable, and the National Security Law again raises the doubts of multinational companies. Nan Jerry said frankly that many companies are reviewing the situation and preparing countermeasures. Whether or not to divest is still unknown. He reminded Hong Kong not to think about its current economic advantages. It is "reasonable." If the rule of law and judicial independence are shaken, Hong Kong is no different from mainland cities, and it will have the chance to be replaced by Shenzhen and Shanghai.
Nan Jerry pointed out that the deepest impact on Hong Kong’s political climate must be the “Hong Kong National Security Law” implemented last year. Apart from affecting Hong Kong in many ways, diplomatic work is also inevitable.
(Photo by Li Zetong)
Nan Jerry began to take charge of the Canadian Consulate in Hong Kong and Macau in August 2016. Two months later, the new Legislative Council members were sworn in. Liang Songheng and You Huizhen of the Youth New Deal were deprived of their qualifications for changing their oaths, and they caused waves again. Nan Jie Rui described it as an outpost of political controversy at that time, but the most profound impact on Hong Kong’s political climate must be the "Hong Kong National Security Law" implemented last year. In addition to affecting Hong Kong in many ways, diplomatic work is also inevitable.
Former Civic Party Legislative Councilor Tan Wenhao was invited by the U.S. Consulate for three meetings. Although he did not respond to the appointment, his influence is still regarded as a "endangering national security." Nan Jerry took the initiative to raise the incident and lamented the national security law. After it took effect, some politically active people were reluctant to contact them. The spectrum of communication between the consulate and Hong Kong people narrowed. The refusal of Tan Wenhao’s bail further affected some Hong Kong people’s exchanges with foreign consulates and even overseas institutions and organizations. That's really a shame (that's really a shame), "in our view that's not the HK of one country two systems" (in our view that's not the HK of one country two systems), and it also dampens Hong Kong's reputation as an "open society."
Tan Wenhao, who was prosecuted for participating in the primary election, was invited by the US consulate to meet, and the court rejected his application for bail because he was deemed influential.
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As for whether the consulate will have any concerns in inviting Hong Kong people to meet in the future?
Nan Jerry said that the court has just handed down the verdict. They are reviewing the situation and stressing that Canada is very concerned about the incident, but the consulate will continue to communicate with people who are ready to meet with them.
(Our general policy is to see if people are prepared to meet with us, and if they are, then we are prepared to meet with them and if they are not, we don't pursue it.)
In the past two years, the foreign consulate version refers to "foreign power" and "interference in internal affairs."
In response, Nan Jerry retorted that the commotion in Hong Kong in recent years was not caused by any "foreign force" intervention. At the beginning of the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance demonstration, Canada has repeatedly called on the Hong Kong government to engage in peaceful and respectful dialogue with the public, which has severely ruptured the situation. There was a great social reconciliation, but the Hong Kong government went to the other extreme, implementing the National Security Law, a series of national security measures and massive arrests of democrats. He bluntly said, "This is unfortunate. We think the Hong Kong government has not fully explored another way. There is no dialogue with citizens occupying the streets."
(It's unfortunate, we think that path was not sufficiently explored by the authorities, to have a dialogue with the people who were taking to the streets to raise their concerns.)
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Nan Jerry didn’t want to guess whether the Hong Kong government had closed his ears, but he frankly said that he had listened to the Japanese and Hong Kong government’s dissatisfaction with Canada’s remarks and actions. However, he still believed that the consulate and the Hong Kong government were not in opposition to each other. The government still has a "comprehensive relationship", and the consulate has the ability to communicate with the Hong Kong government, and vice versa. The Canadian side's repeated voices are only based on Hong Kong's best interests, hoping that Hong Kong will return to prosperity and stability.
Nan Jerry couldn't help laughing, frankly admitting that the political situation in Hong Kong has deteriorated rapidly, making the position of consul in Hong Kong a hot potato.
(Photo by Li Zetong)
Looking back at the thorny work of the past five years, has the position of Consul General in Hong Kong become a "hot potato"?
Nan Jerry couldn't help but laugh, admitting that the political situation in Hong Kong is rapidly deteriorating, making his work extremely challenging. However, many embassies and consulates abroad are hot potatoes. It is hard to say whether the position of the consulate in Hong Kong is the most difficult one.
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Political instability may cause businesses to withdraw their capital. Last year, the inflow of funds from Hong Kong into Canada reached US$34.8 billion, a record high.
Nan Jerry said that as far as he knows this is not a huge amount, and for the time being, there has not been a large amount of capital from Hong Kong to Canada, but it is clear that not only Canadian businessmen, but even large international companies are also reviewing the impact of the National Security Law and are also preparing. The response plan, including whether it is necessary to transfer the data stored in Hong Kong to other regions, whether to divest or not is still unknown.
In Nan Jerry's words, Hong Kong, where "one country, two systems" is gradually fading, is as if the national security law has been slashed again, and the legal framework has been subverted. Can Hong Kong maintain its status as a stepping stone in entering the Chinese market?
Nan Jerry bluntly said that Hong Kong is facing a lot of competition. If companies focus on the mainland market, why not directly settle in major mainland cities such as Shenzhen and Shanghai; if companies want to focus on the Southeast Asian market, Singapore may be a better choice.
Related news: Prisoners of dual citizenship need to be selected and consul-general Nan Jerry: It remains to be seen whether there is any violation of the bilateral agreement
He sent a message that Hong Kong must maintain its separation from mainland cities in the future, especially the rule of law, judicial independence, professionalism of talents and logistics, so that Hong Kong maintains its pivotal position. He reminded Hong Kong that its existing advantages are not taken for granted. If the outside world treats Hong Kong’s rule of law in the future Increasing doubts about Hong Kong will damage Hong Kong’s reputation, which will also affect corporate decisions. Hong Kong’s prospects may be at stake.
He emphasized that one of the duties of a consul is to provide appropriate advice to Canadian companies. The authorities are constantly adjusting their assessment of Hong Kong and warning of possible risks caused by the National Security Law.
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