Legislator Wan-Lee Oh of the Hong Kong Independent Democratic Party
China’s largest annual political event’Yanghoe’ opens on the 4th. Then Hong Kong is shaking again. This is because the Communist Party is trying to change the electoral system with’patriotic’. The Hong Kong government decided to disqualify him from running if he refused the pledge of loyalty. It is in the midst of being gagged ahead of the September legislative elections (our National Assembly). It is the same as when the Hong Kong National Security Law was enforced in June after going through both meetings in May of last year.
In an interview with the Hankook Ilbo on the 1st, Wan-Li Oh (29), legislator of the Hong Kong Independence Democratic Party, said in an interview with the Hankook Ilbo, “The Chinese Communist Party will not tolerate any opposition.” That is,” he criticized. He then said, “The citizens of Hong Kong are divided in response to the Communist Party’s directive emphasizing patriotism.”
He appealed to the Korean government and the people to “support the citizens of Hong Kong against the authoritarian regime,” and expressed his determination that “we will fight to the end like the Gwangju Uprising.” During the occupation of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in November 2019, O Wan-li was a student representative of the University Executive Committee, and took the role of informing the outside of the dire situation inside the school and urging the international community for support. Later, he ran for the Tai Kok Tsui North area in the legislative election and was elected.
Candidate Wan Li (center), who was elected after running for the Tai Kok Tsui North district in the Hong Kong legislative election in November 2019, talks with voters gathered during a street campaign. Hong Kong = Correspondent Kwang-Soo Kim
_ President Xi Jinping repeatedly stressed that “patriots should rule Hong Kong.” How do you take it?
“It means that the CCP wants full control over all government agencies in Hong Kong. China will not tolerate any forces that oppose its position. The Communist Party will ensure that no positions or titles are held within the Hong Kong governmental organization of opposition to China.”
_The Hong Kong government issued a rule stating that if a legislator violates the Basic Law and the government’s pledge of loyalty, he or she will be disqualified from running for five years.
“Our seats are delegated by voters and supporters. The government did not appoint lawmakers. The new ordinance is in addition to and is not an essential condition for membership. We have already promised to abide by the Basic Law before the election and to serve Hong Kong faithfully.”
_Why do China and Hong Kong push these regulations?
“Although the world is struggling with the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) pandemic and the economic downturn, China has certainly recovered very quickly. Therefore, the CCP is trying to take action in the absence of international intervention. In addition, (next March), the Hong Kong Executive Minister’s election is scheduled to be held. As the democratic camp makes up 117 of the delegates, the Communist Party wants to avoid the risk and uncertainty over the election results.”
(※ Hong Kong’s administrative minister (government head) is elected by 1,200 delegates. Among them, 117 of the legislators are distributed as winners alone. In the 2019 election, the democratic camp wiped out 388 seats (86%) of the 452 legislators in the 2019 election. While preempting 117 people.)
Chinese President Xi Jinping is receiving a New Year’s business report from Hong Kong’s Minister Carry Ram via video link in Beijing on January 27th. At this meeting, Xi urged the practice of one country and two systems (one country and two systems), while at the same time emphasizing the principle of’Hong Kong ruled by patriots’. Beijing=Xinhua Newsis
_How do Hong Kong citizens cope with Chinese pressure?
“It’s splitting on both sides. Some pro-government and pro-Beijing-oriented vested interests are responding, and are following the Chinese Communist Party’s directive, which promoted a ‘Patriot-ruled Hong Kong’. On the other hand, supporters of the democratic camp feel angry and think this is a political pressure on legislators. I am still contemplating how to respond. This is because the residents promised to serve the local community for four years if they were elected throughout the election period. I will do my best to fulfill my promise.”
(※ The democratic camp was destroyed in the Hong Kong parliamentary legislative assembly in November last year, as 15 Democrats resigned together in protest against the disqualification of the four opposition members of the legislative party. In the case of legislators, more than 70 people were arrested for trial. Ahead.)
_It is said that the Hong Kong election system is being changed in China’s’Yang Hoi’.
“I repeat, the Chinese Communist Party wants to ensure control over Hong Kong’s election results. We are trying to get rid of any uncertainty in advance.”
_Hong Kong people’s thoughts about both Chinese society
“Honestly, there are not many Hong Kong citizens who have a good understanding of both sides in China.”
Democratic activists such as Jimmy Sham (second from right), who are accused of violating the Hong Kong National Security Law (Hong Kong Security Law), are holding a press conference before attending the police on the 28th of last month. Hong Kong police recently prosecuted 47 opposition officials on charges of overthrowing the state under the Security Law. Jimmy Sham, the representative of civilian Kwon Jin-seon, is also a Hong Kong legislator (our councilman). Hong Kong = Reuters Yonhap News
_ Will the election for legislators, which has been delayed for one year due to Corona 19, be held in September as scheduled?
“It may or may not be. Many of the candidates will be disqualified, but it will be in a form that is neither the election we expected nor the election we are familiar with. Personally, it looks like the elections will be held in September, but the Chinese central government, not the Hong Kong government, will soon end the legislative process to change the electoral system before that.”
(※The Hong Kong legislative elections elect 70. Of these, 35 seats are selected by regional division, and the remaining 35 seats are selected by function. The democratic camp is aiming for a majority seat by driving the overwhelming momentum of the 2019 legislator election. It is known as the gist of the reform of the electoral system by subdividing the opposition candidates into division and distributing votes, while invalidating the five seats secured by the democratic camp as legislators out of 35 seats of professional representatives.)
Members of the Hong Kong Pan-Democratic Legislative Assembly (our National Assembly) hold hands and pose before holding a press conference at the Capitol in November last year. They announced that they would resign as a protest when four fellow lawmakers were deprived of their positions due to the Chinese NPC’s decision. This destroyed the democratic camp in the Hong Kong parliament. Hong Kong = AP Yonhap News
_Hong Kongers apply for a’British Overseas Citizen’ (BNO) passport and move to the UK.
“Citizens are heading to the UK due to increased anxiety due to the social and political conditions in Hong Kong. It stems from the desire for a new place, a new development, and a safer place. However, BNO originated from the historical experience of being a British colony. It has a special political meaning that gives Hong Kongers the right to stay in different places with more than one passport. So it’s not that Hong Kongers want to completely abandon their hometown.”
(According to the Hong Kong Binfruit Daily, the number of BNO passports issued by the British government to Hong Kongers last year was 310,000, exceeding that of the Hong Kong government issued passports (250,000) for the first time. After returning to Hong Kong in 1997, Hong Kongers renewed their BNO passports. I preferred a Hong Kong passport, which is cheaper to issue than the following, but the atmosphere changed with the enforcement of the security law.
On the 22nd of last month, Hong Kong’s administrative minister Carrie Ram is receiving the Corona 19 vaccine from Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinobac. With Hong Kong’s first corona19 vaccination, the vaccination scene was broadcast live throughout Hong Kong. Hong Kong = AFP Yonhap News
_Minister Carry Ram was the first to get a Chinese vaccine in Hong Kong.
“Many Hong Kongers are still waiting and watching. Vaccination is different from compulsory experimentation. It’s putting something into our body. Most citizens think they will get the German-made bioentech vaccine.
_Do you have anything you would like to convey to Korean readers?
“I would like to thank you for your support in the (2019) campaign against the repatriation law and the protests led by Hong Kong universities. We are still facing pressure from the authoritarian regime. Please keep watching Hong Kong with interest and support. I earnestly say to the Korean government and the people, Hong Kong citizens will never give up as they did during the Gwangju Uprising. We will soon face the sun.”
Beijing= Kwangsoo Kim Correspondent [email protected]
News directly edited by the Hankook Ilbo can also be viewed on Naver.
