Kaohsiung councilors want Carrie Lam banned

‘PERSONA NON GRATA’: The Mainland Affairs Council, not local governments, has jurisdiction over relations with Hong Kong, the Kaohsiung City Government said

By Wang Jung-hsiang / Staff reporter





Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and New Power Party (NPP) Kaohsiung city councilors yesterday urged the Kaohsiung City Government to list Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam (林鄭月娥) as an unwelcome figure in the city.

The request was officially submitted as a motion to the city council by Chien Huan-tsung (簡煥宗), Kao Min-lin (高閔琳) and Chiu Chun-hsien (邱俊憲) of the DPP, and Huang Jie (黃捷) and Lin Yu-kai (林于凱) of the NPP earlier this month.

Since March, Lam has been responding to local protests against a now-scrapped extradition bill with police crackdowns, sometimes using tear gas and rubber bullets against peaceful protesters, the councilors said.

Democratic Progressive Party and New Power Party Kaohsiung city councilors yesterday hold Christmas cards addressed to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and the Hong Kong Legislative Council that include a proposal to make Lam a persona non grata in Kaohsiung. Photo: Wang Jung-hsiang, Taipei Times

In doing so, the Hong Kong government and police have encroached upon human rights, they said.

As a city that values human rights, Kaohsiung should list Lam as an unwelcome figure in the city, they said.

The councilors said they would also send a Christmas card attached with the motion to Lam, and reach out to the Hong Kong Legislative Council to inform them of the motion.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam attends a news conference in Hong Kong on Sept. 17. Photo: Reuters

Hopefully, the motion will provide some support to Hong Kongers in their fight for democracy during the Christmas season, they said.

Since the very beginning, Han has been ambivalent about the anti-extradition protests and has never condemned the Hong Kong government for its encroachment on human rights, they said.

Han should stop dodging the issue, they said, adding that the motion has been approved by the city council and represents the voice of Kaohsiung residents.

The Kaohsiung City Government said that it respects councilors’ right to submit motions, but added that all motions should have a sound legal basis and be grounded in reality.

The relationship between the Republic of China and Hong Kong must be handled based on the Act Governing Relations with Hong Kong and Macau (香港澳門關係條例), and falls under the jurisdiction of Mainland Affairs Council, not local governments, it added.