An estimated 16,000 people rallied in Hong Kong yesterday in support of a controversial anti-subversion law the government wants to introduce.
The demonstration by a coalition of 27 pro-government groups was staged in response to a giant march last Sunday by critics of the proposed law that organizers said drew 60,000 people.
Police said yesterday's rally in Hong Kong's Victoria Park was attended by 16,000, although one of the organizers said as many as 40,000 were present.
PHOTO: AP
Pro-government forces are fighting a rearguard action against opponents of the proposed legislation who say it would curtail freedoms of speech and expression in Hong Kong.
The proposed law, which the government wants to put in force next summer, would make illegal any acts and publications which are deemed to be a threat to Chinese national security.
Critics have demanded a white paper to allow the legislation to be studied in detail before it is brought into effect, but the Hong Kong government has so far resisted the demands.
The issue has developed into the biggest political controversy since Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule by Britain in 1997, with foreign consulates and businesses joining the clamor for a white paper.
A survey of Hong Kong journalists released Friday found one in 10 would quit the profession if the anti-subversion legislation is implemented.
Also see story:
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source