Hong Kong’s pan-democrats need to decide if they want reform, or a revolution
John Chan says lawmakers who support democratic development should either be willing to work for change within the system – or lead a revolution outside it
During National People’s Congress chairman Zhang Dejiang’s (張德江) visit to Hong Kong, all legislators were invited to a welcome dinner. Pan-democratic lawmakers boycotted the event, claiming it did not offer sufficient opportunity for in-depth dialogue. This excuse is laughable.
Such an occasion is not intended for dialogue. Pan-democrats were invited because of their constitutional status, not for what they have to say.
If they want to start a revolution, they cannot be politicians
During the colonial era, lawmakers invited to a formal dinner for a visiting British prime minster wouldn’t use such a childish excuse; they would refuse to attend to signal disapproval of the administration. Thus, pan-democrats should have admitted they were boycotting the event.
By openly asking the No 3 in the Chinese government to interfere in Hong Kong’s affairs, Leong did something not even pro-Beijing politicians would try. One pro-democrat commentator said: “To suggest to Zhang Dejiang to dismiss and replace the chief executive amounts to accepting that the central government has final say in the election of the chief executive. If this is the case, does this not mean ‘one country, two systems’ exists only in name?”
