Hong Kong's leader said yesterday he would tone down an anti-subversion bill that prompted a protest by 500,000 people, but he drew more political fire by saying he still wants the measure passed next week.
Critics demanded time for further consultations to ensure that the bill does not undermine Hong Kong's civil liberties. They accused Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa (董建華) of ignoring the views of the people by pushing to have it enacted on schedule this Wednesday.
Tung said he would scrap a provision that allows some groups to be banned, add protections for journalists who publish classified information and delete a provision that would let police conduct searches without warrants.
PHOTO: AP
His political foes weren't silenced, with some predicting Tung had been so badly weakened by the crisis that he could be forced to step down.
"The public is demanding a delay in the bill because they want consultations," independent legislator Audrey Eu said by telephone. "It's not the time for a patch-up job at the 11th hour and 59 minutes."
Surrounded by Cabinet members and top aides at a news conference, Tung acknowledged the massive outpouring of public sentiment had forced the embarrassing retreat from parts of the national security law and said "my colleagues and myself have to do better."
Tung found himself in the biggest political crisis since Hong Kong was returned from Britain to China, and the pressure became insurmountable after a key legislative ally went to Beijing and returned Friday saying he supported a delay in passing the law.
The law is required under the territory's mini-constitution that took effect at the handover on July 1, 1997, and Tung called it "a sacrosanct duty of the people of Hong Kong."
Tung predicted that the bill can pass because his changes mean "the controversy is no longer there," but critics immediately disagreed.
Opposition lawmaker Cyd Ho said outlawing sedition poses a threat to journalists, and she said other serious offenses carrying life prison sentences are too loosely defined.
"There are so many problems with this legislation," said Law Yuk-kai, director of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, a non-governmental organization. "Why don't we give everybody some kind of cooling-off period and then conduct consultations?"
The bill outlaws subversion, treason, sedition and other crimes against the state, imposing life prison sentences for some offenses.Also See Story:
Taiwan to keep eye on HK bill
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