'Improper' for Hong Kong to boycott Manila over Taiwan fisherman's shooting

Responding to a call on Saturday by Global Times for Hong Kong and Macau to join a boycott of the Philippines, possibly through tourism and trade, security chief Lai Tung-kwok said: "Taiwan has taken a series of actions [in response to the incident], but I think some of these actions would not be appropriate for Hong Kong."

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Hundreds of Taiwan fishermen, holding a portrait of Philippine President Benigno Aquino, march to the Philippine trade office in Tapei in protest last week. Photo: EPA

Published: 12:00am, 20 May 2013Updated: 12:02pm, 20 May 2013

Security Secretary Lai Tung-kwok said it would be inappropriate for Hong Kong to take action against Manila over the killing of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine coastguard.

Responding to a call on Saturday by , a hawkish Communist Party mouthpiece, for Hong Kong and Macau to join a boycott of the Philippines, possibly through tourism and trade, Lai said: "Taiwan has taken a series of actions [in response to the incident], but I think some of these actions would not be appropriate for Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong is a free society, so I think that people's full expression about the incident can lend support to our Taiwan compatriots."

Lai nevertheless urged Manila to investigate the incident fairly and thoroughly "in order to give justice to the deceased", adding that he believed he was also speaking for "my colleagues and Hongkongers".

Meanwhile, the Philippines was waiting for tempers in Taiwan to cool before resolving the dispute over the fisherman's death, Amadeo Perez, chairman of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office, said yesterday.

Perez said issues such as Manila's "one-China" policy - recognising the mainland's sovereignty over Taiwan - and Taiwanese investigators' branding of the killing as murder had complicated the situation.