One Country, Two Systems = My Way or the Highway

Cloud over Taichung city.

Some of you may remember the poll from a while back that showed growing identification as Hong Kongers rather than PRC citizens in Hong Kong.... a friend passed this around, remarking that it gives great insight into what "One Country, Two Systems" really means to the imperialists in Beijing....

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Dear Colleagues,

There will be a motion debate on "Defending academic freedom and institutional autonomy" moved by Mr. Cheung Man Kwong, Legislative Councilor (Education Constituency) next Wednesday (25th April 2012). We are preparing the speech. Suggestions and comments are welcome. The wording of the motion is listed below:

Defending academic freedom and institutional autonomy

Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong to move the following motion: (Translation)

That this Council condemns HAO Tiechuan, Director-General of the Publicity, Culture and Sports Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, for publicly criticizing a number of times the public opinion poll on Hong Kong people’s ethnic identity under the charge of Robert CHUNG, scholar of The University of Hong Kong, as ‘unscientific’ and ‘illogical’, and creating a chilling effect through political interference in academic pursuit, which is in contravention of the spirit of Article 137 of the Basic Law which provides that ‘[e]ducational institutions of all kinds may retain their autonomy and enjoy academic freedom’, as well as the provision of Article 22 of the Basic Law, i.e. ‘[n]o department of the Central People’s Government and no province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the Central Government may interfere in the affairs which the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region administers on its own in accordance with this Law’; in this connection, this Council urges the Government and educational institutions to legislate for safeguarding academic freedom and to ensure that scholars can enjoy academic freedom in accordance with law, free from any interference and fear; academic freedom is the cornerstone for promoting social civilization and progress as well as an integral part of the autonomy of educational institutions, and therefore universities must not respond in silence to the interference and intimidation faced by their teaching staff and students, and not curry favour with and bow to the rich and powerful in the face of their enticement and pressure, in order to defend the legitimate autonomy and dignity of universities.
(Legislative Council Meeting Agenda)

If you have any opinions about this motion, please feel free to e-mail us.

Best Regards,

Fung Wai Wah
HKPTU President
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