Beijing bid may backfire in Legco polls: James Tien

From left, Chip Tsao, James Tien and Anson Chan taking part in a discussion on Article 22. Photo: RTHK

The honorary chairman of the Liberal Party, James Tien, says recent comments by Beijing offices were made with the upcoming Legco elections in mind, but the moves could possibly backfire when the polls are held in September.



Taking part in an RTHK "The Pulse" programme, Tien said the comments made by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO) and the central government’s liaison office (CLO) had given “Hong Kong people an impression, rightly or wrongly, that the CLO to Beijing is interfering with Legislative Council work”.



“That would backfire in a sense. Because the Legislative Council members are elected by the people. The five million registered voters … will bear that in mind ... when they go to cast their votes on September 6. [It] will make a big difference.”



"So I think what they did won’t be able to achieve the objective. That is not the right thing they did,” said the former pro-establishment lawmaker.



But Tien said he thinks the HKMAO’s comment that it is not bound by the non-intervention principles of Article 22 of the Basic Law is correct, because "it's not located in Hong Kong”.



It's totally reasonable for them to comment on local affairs, he added.



Tien said he thinks the liaison office is bound by the article, but rejected criticism that its recent statements have amounted to interference.



Former chief secretary Anson Chan, who also took part in the programme, said the comments from Beijing were proof that the "One Country, Two Systems" principle is effectively dead.



Hong Kong, she said, is rapidly moving towards "One Country, One System". Beijing is exerting its comprehensive jurisdiction over the SAR as indicated in the White Paper it published in 2014, said Chan.



She said she fears because of Beijing's moves, Hong Kong will be marginalised in the international community going forward.



Another participant in the discussion, political commentator Chip Tsao, said Beijing may be calculating that it no longer needs to care about keeping its promises over One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong, as China could be facing increasing antagonism from the world over the coronavirus pandemic.



He noted that some 40 countries are lining up to sue Beijing over the virus, and Washington is looking at decoupling with China by moving factories away from the mainland.



Tsao said given the disintegration of globalisation, Beijing might be trying to seize the moment to make gains, and Hong Kong is set to suffer in all of this.