Awaiting a Democratic Hong Kong.
As per usual people are being detained before June 4th, last year they put Ding Zilin and two other Tiananmen Mothers under house arrest, and jailed two people who expressed the wish for reform in China on the internet.
This year it is two journalists of Chinese dissent who are reporting for foreign papers, and possibly a government employee. There of course are many others we never hear off.
My we-all-know-already-future-chief-executive-by-a-skewed-and-invite-only-election Donald Tsang said of the Hong Kong Ren Detainee, Mr. Ching is one of "Dozens" of people who are in trouble in China and he can’t help everybody.
The fact he can’t tell the difference between a jailed journalist and someone who might have committed fraud just tells me why he was picked for the post of Chief Executive. He is and will remain as equally clueless as the last one, Mr. Tung. Dim wittedness seems to be hardwired into the job description.
And it is interesting to make note that Mr. Tsang is a Catholic. An organization that is outlawed in China, members are imprisoned and Bishop Zen of Hong Kong is not granted a visa to visit the country. He talked of how he prays for the Catholics and Chinese people, here and when he crosses the border. I just want to say if Mr. Ching cannot be granted "Special treatment," because he is a journalist. I think Mr. Tsang should not be granted "Special treatment," either just because he might be our chief executive. Jail the man when he is in the mainland when he hits his knees to pray. Better yet "Set him up" and catch him, then take photos and leak it to apple daily (remember that?). Then maybe he will understand it is his diplomatic role to protect the rights of Hong Kong citizens no matter what and no matter how "many."
Watch his approval ratings plummet before he gets the post. And for everyone who said, "Donald Tsang is a step up," as I said that’s was missing the point. We need Direct Elections. It’s the only way.
Beijing Fails to Shed Light on held Ching
The ministry also leveled a new charge of fraud against New York Times researcher
and Chinese citizen Zhao Yan, who has been detained for stealing state secrets.According to a Reuters report Thursday, a sociologist and an employee of the Chinese Academy of Social
Sciences – a government research unit – were also detained for allegedly
leaking state secrets.They are sociologist Lu Jianhua, 45, and Chen Hui, an office assistant at the
academy.The news of the recent detentions comes ahead of tomorrow’s anniversary of the
1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
When asked about Ching Thursday, former chief secretary for administration Anson
Chan said she hopes he will receive a fair trial conducted in a transparent
manner.Chief executive candidate Donald Tsang denied having passed the buck after
receiving a letter from Mary Lau, Ching’s wife, requesting a meeting.He said Ching is only one of “dozens” to have run into trouble in the mainland
, and that “it is impossible” for him to meet everybody who seeks help.
The Standard: Beijing Fails to Shed Light on Held Ching
Beijing fails to shed light on held Ching
Dennis Chong
June 3, 2005
The Standard
Newspaper researcher on secrets charge faces fraud count Beijing has refrained from clarifying the status or releasing any further details regarding detained Hong Kong-based journalist Ching Cheong.
An a regular press briefing, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Kong Quan said Ching, the senior China correspondent for Singapore’s Straits Times, failed to comply with mainland rules governing journalists.
China expert Ong Yew-kim said the remarks revealed a “softened” approach by Beijing and it was possible that officials are still “gathering evidence.”
Kong also claimed Beijing has not tightened controls on journalists working in the mainland for overseas media outlets – but he then added that anyone refusing to abide by mainland laws will be prosecuted.
The ministry also leveled a new charge of fraud against New York Times researcher and Chinese citizen Zhao Yan, who has been detained for stealing state secrets.
According to a Reuters report Thursday, which quoted unnamed independent sources, a sociologist and an employee of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences – a government research unit – were also detained for allegedly leaking state secrets.
They are sociologist Lu Jianhua, 45, and Chen Hui, an office assistant at the academy.
Kong would not comment on the report, saying that “he has no knowledge” of it.
The news of the recent detentions comes ahead of tomorrow’s anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
When asked about Ching Thursday, former chief secretary for administration Anson Chan said she hopes he will receive a fair trial conducted in a transparent manner.
Chief executive candidate Donald Tsang denied having passed the buck after receiving a letter from Mary Lau, Ching’s wife, requesting a meeting.
He said Ching is only one of “dozens” to have run into trouble in the mainland , and that “it is impossible” for him to meet everybody who seeks help.
“What is important is not meeting, but action,” he said, adding that Lau’s letter has been passed to the relevant departments.
Cheung Ping-ling, chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists’ Association said Lau has a right to know what steps have been taken.
“If these cases are not rare, this means it is very important to improve the current communication system with the mainland,” she said.
Meanwhile, about a dozen members of two journalists’ associations marched to the SAR Government Headquarters and the Central Government Liaison Office, asking for visiting rights to Ching and demanding more facts about the case.
The protesters, from the Journalists’ Association and the Hong Kong Press Photographers’ Association, were not received by staff members of the liaison office.
Yan Sham-Shackleton Online 