Occupy Central
Occupy Central is a civil disobedience movement which began in Hong Kong on September 28, 2014. It calls on thousands of protesters to block roads and paralyse Hong Kong's financial district if the Beijing and Hong Kong governments do not agree to implement universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 and the Legislative Council elections in 2020 according to "international standards." The movement was initiated by Benny Tai Yiu-ting (戴耀廷), an associate professor of law at the University of Hong Kong, in January 2013.
Umbrella Movement
The Umbrella Movement (Chinese: 雨傘運動; pinyin: yǔsǎn yùndòng) is a loose political movement that was created spontaneously during the Hong Kong protests of 2014. Its name derives from the recognition of the umbrella as a symbol of defiance and resistance against the Hong Kong government, and the united grass-roots objection to the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) of 31 August.
The movement consists of individuals numbering in the tens of thousands who participated in the protests that began on 28 September 2014, although Scholarism, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Occupy Central with Love and Peace, groups are principally driving the demands for the rescission of the NPCSC decision.
The movement consists of individuals numbering in the tens of thousands who participated in the protests that began on 28 September 2014, although Scholarism, the Hong Kong Federation of Students, Occupy Central with Love and Peace, groups are principally driving the demands for the rescission of the NPCSC decision.
Occupy Central site in an area surrounding the Legislative Council and Central Government Offices at Tamar were cleared 22-06-2015.
Hong Kong reform vote
The Hong Kong government’s political reform proposal for how the city elects its leader by universal suffrage for the first time in 2017 is based on a strict framework set by Beijing. The plan limits the number of candidates to two or three and requires them to win majority support from a 1,200 strong nominating committee. Arguing that this does not constitute genuine universal suffrage, pan-democratic lawmakers have vowed to reject the package, while pro-democracy groups have protested. The government’s resolution was to be put to a vote by the 70-member Legislative Council in June 2015, requiring a two-thirds majority to be passed.
POST OCCUPY CENTRAL - DAY 217
POST REFORM VOTE：DAY 32
POST REFORM VOTE：DAY 32
Full coverage of the day’s events on 20-07
Apology on DAB Beijing visit agenda
DAB leader Starry Lee Wai-king said she will apologize on behalf of the party during a trip to Beijing, following the bungled vote on the political reform last month.
The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong will meet central government officials in the party's first visit to the mainland since 2006. The trip begins on Wednesday.
When asked whether the DAB will need to explain to the officials about the failed walk-out in the Legislative Council, Lee said she will report according to the facts and will also apologize for not casting a vote after miscommunication with other pro- establishment lawmakers.
"The main purpose of the visit is to reflect our observations and analysis in society and listen to Beijing's point of view toward Hong Kong's development in this post-reform stage," she said.
Lee said one of the reasons the political reform was not passed was because some pan-democratic lawmakers did not achieve mutual trust with Beijing, so the DAB will suggest building a platform for regular communication between the central government and political parties in Hong Kong.
"Hong Kong has lost its bargaining chip to ask for a relaunch of the political reform with Beijing at the moment, so we will focus on social issues and Hong Kong's development first," she said.
Lee said the party plans to discuss issues such as parallel traders, co-location arrangements for the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link and airspace needed for the third runway.
The four-day trip includes meeting officials from the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, United Front and National Development and Reform Commission.
Lam takes different tack on politics
Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet- ngor yesterday took a different line than her boss when she said the government will not completely give up political work as the administration will focus on economic development and improve citizens' livelihoods in the next two years.
Analysts said Lam's comments had deviated from those of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, who earlier said the government will focus on enhancing Hong Kong's economic development and improving citizens' livelihoods in the coming two years.
Leung said a lot of energy had been spent on political reform in the territory in the past two years.
"We have earlier said that after the political reform was voted down [in the Legislative Council], we will focus on boosting economic development and improving citizens' livelihoods," Lam said. "It does not mean we will completely give up the works on politics in the coming two years."
Lam said she understood that it was impossible for the government to separate itself from the political environment, if it is to push for works on economic development and improving livelihood.
She used the example of the proposed Innovation and Technology Bureau.
"People can see that it is clearly a policy initiative on economic development for creating the bureau. Due to political reasons, the proposal on setting up of the bureau has not succeeded yet after three years."
Lam said that for effective governance, the government should have greater political energy. The chief executive had earlier invited some pan- democratic lawmakers for meetings.
Lam also said that the government placed 11 funding applications items on livelihood-related issues before the Innovation and Technology Bureau in Legco's Finance Committee. This was a move to create a better political environment, she said.
However, Democratic Party lawmaker Helena Wong Pik-wan criticized the government for always playing politics, even in issues related to livelihood.
Chinese University political analyst Ivan Choy Chi-keung said it is only "wishful thinking or language campaign" for Leung to say that the government put aside political work to only focus on economic development and improvement on citizens' livelihoods.
Choy said it is clear that many people, including Lam, have realized that it is impossible for the government not to continue its work in politics.
He said if the government has a low popularity rating, it would be even difficult to get lawmakers' support on its policies in Legco.
The creation of the bureau, which is Leung's brainchild, had been delayed for the third time since he floated the idea in his election manifesto in 2012. A final four-hour session in the Finance Committee did not reach a vote on Saturday on the government's funding request.
Coconuts
Top China leader tells Hong Kong youth to 'promote stability'
The young of Hong Kong should be promoters of the territory's stability and prosperity, the fourth most senior leader of China's ruling Communist Party told a youth group on Friday.
Beijing sees national unity as sacrosanct and has ruled Hong Kong under a "one country, two systems" formula, allowing broad autonomy, since the city returned from British rule in 1997.
But Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, spearheaded by fresh-faced youngsters, has shaken the assumption of cosy accommodation between the mainland's communists and the capitalist enclave.
Meeting a youth group from Hong Kong and Macau in Beijing, Yu Zhengsheng said their invitation showed China's desire to increase exchanges with Hong Kong, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
"[I] hope that all of you, via this visit, can further learn about history and understand the national situation," the news agency cited Yu as saying.
"The youth of Hong Kong and Macau are the new force which have inherited to transmission of 'one country, two systems', and you must be ambitious," said Yu, who heads a largely ceremonial advisory body to parliament.
"Be promoters of the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macau."
Protesters in Hong Kong have demanded full democracy in a 2017 election for the city's leader. But Beijing insists the leader will be chosen from a list of candidates it approves.
Beijing sees national unity as sacrosanct and has ruled Hong Kong under a "one country, two systems" formula, allowing broad autonomy, since the city returned from British rule in 1997.
But Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, spearheaded by fresh-faced youngsters, has shaken the assumption of cosy accommodation between the mainland's communists and the capitalist enclave.
Meeting a youth group from Hong Kong and Macau in Beijing, Yu Zhengsheng said their invitation showed China's desire to increase exchanges with Hong Kong, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
"[I] hope that all of you, via this visit, can further learn about history and understand the national situation," the news agency cited Yu as saying.
"The youth of Hong Kong and Macau are the new force which have inherited to transmission of 'one country, two systems', and you must be ambitious," said Yu, who heads a largely ceremonial advisory body to parliament.
"Be promoters of the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macau."
Protesters in Hong Kong have demanded full democracy in a 2017 election for the city's leader. But Beijing insists the leader will be chosen from a list of candidates it approves.
CY Leung interfered in Discovery Bay planning despite conflict of interest, paper claims
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has reportedly interfered in the processing of suggestions to increase development density and rezoning more residential land in Discovery Bay by its developer, who has close ties with Leung.
In an exclusive report by Apple Daily, the paper cited a government document that showed Leung instructed the district planning office under the planning department to follow up on two suggestions by the developer of Discovery Bay, HKR International (HKRI). The suggestions were to raise the overall development density of the area and rezone more land for residential use. The proposals could yield an estimated return of HK$14.7 billion for HKRI, according to the report.
File photo. Photo: Apple Daily.
The chief executive’s connection with HKRI was publicised in a report last year by the Australian Fairfax Media, which stated that Leung had sought over HK$50 million in compensation from Australian firm UGL following the sale of the property company DTZ. Leung headed the company’s operations in the Asia Pacific region just prior to his bid for the chief executive post in 2012. It was also revealed that Leung at that time held shares of DTZ Japan, currently transferred to a trust.
According to the Apple Daily report, HKRI is a long term customer of DTZ Japan, and properties of HKRI in Japan are still managed by DTZ Japan. The report concludes that there is a conflict of interest involved in Leung’s decision to interfere in the district planning office process.
Former ICAC investigator and current Democratic Party Executive Director Lam Cheuk-ting said that Leung’s role in the planning is unusual. Lam said that there are established policies and procedures regarding development planning, and asked for Leung to respond publicly. The Chief Executive Office did not respond to the claims made by the paper and has refused to reply to whether Leung has interests with HKRI, according to Apple Daily.
The first of the two proposals by HKRI involves raising the development density by 50 per cent, meaning the company could receive an extra 9.42 million sq. ft. of residential floor space. A revised proposal was given at a later date, reducing the floor space to around 980,000 sq.ft. Given local prices of HK$15,000 per square foot that would be worth HK$14.7 billion. The other proposal was for the rezoning of two pieces of land at Discovery Bay – a slope west of 4 Parkvale Drive and Nim Shue Wan service area – amounting to a total of around 59,250 sq. metres (63,700 sq. ft.). The land of the Nim Shue Wan service area includes a 400 metre long waterfront promenade.
In the document received by Apple Daily, Leung instructed the district planning office to mail HKRI regarding their proposals and how the company plans to overcome issues with the foundations and environment. The two sides met in April 2014 and the second suggestion, for rezoning the two pieces of land, was discussed in another meeting in July 2014. The application has yet to be submitted to the town planning board.
Nim Shue Wan Service Area. Photo: Apple Daily.
The document further reveals that the government considered the suggestions difficult to implement. Apart from environmental and foundation constraints, the government has also signed agreements with Disneyland regulating the height of buildings near its park. Also, according to blueprints, there is currently still around 1.29 million sq. ft. of residential area space that has yet to be incorporated in the development, meaning the developable area has not been used up yet.
Discovery Bay District Councillor Amy Yung Wing-sheung voiced her opposition to the development plans. Yung said that Discovery Bay was originally meant to be a low density residential area and the proposals violated this original planning intent. The government document also stated similar concerns, that the new plans could “change the development concept of Discovery Bay”.
Neither the Planning Department nor HKRI has confirmed Leung’s involvement. However, the department has confirmed its meeting with HKRI in its response to the report.
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