Hundreds of Filipinos marched through central Hong Kong yesterday to protest a newspaper column denounced by the Philippine community as representative of racism they say is endemic in the Chinese territory.
Hong Kong columnist Chip Tsao (曹捷) made a public apology earlier this week, saying he had not intended to insult Filipinos with what he characterized as a satirical article poking fun at Hong Kongers’ poor treatment of their maids.
But hundreds of Filipinos still protested yesterday in the Central financial district. Marching peacefully, many wearing red T-shirts, they carried signs that said “No Chip shots at Filipinos” and “We are workers, not slaves.”
PHOTO: AFP
About 130,000 Filipinos work as maids in wealthy Hong Kong to help support their families back home. They make a minimum monthly salary of HK$3,580 (US$462).
In the article published on Friday in the weekly HK Magazine, Tsao wrote he was so angered by the Philippines’ claim on the disputed Spratly Islands, which China also claims, that he summoned his Philippine maid to give her a lecture.
Calling the Philippines “a nation of servants” that shouldn’t challenge China, he wrote that he would be forced to fire her in the event of a war between the two countries.
Protest organizer Eman Villanueva said Tsao’s column was an example of larger racism toward ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.
“This is also beyond Chip Tsao because Chip Tsao’s article is just a symptom. It’s not the main problem. The problem is racism. The problem is the unfair treatment of ethnic minorities in Hong Kong,” Villanueva told Hong Kong’s Cable TV in an interview.
Tsao said yesterday he had no further comment.
Philippine activists criticized the article and the Philippine government put Tsao on an immigration blacklist.
“He targeted and insulted the Philippine people, the Philippine nation and in particular Filipino domestic helpers in Hong Kong,” Villanueva said in a phone interview.
Philippine Foreign Affairs spokesman Ed Malaya said yesterday the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong had recommended that the ban on Tsao visiting the country be lifted after he apologized and “indicated interest to visit the country some day.”
Republican US lawmakers on Friday criticized US President Joe Biden’s administration after sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei unveiled a laptop this week powered by an Intel artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for contravening Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to hobble Beijing’s technological advances. Placement on the list means the company’s suppliers have to seek a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping to it. One such license, issued by then-US president Donald Trump’s administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. China hardliners
Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, funeral home officials said. They were 62. The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died on April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg said. The cause of death was not detailed. “When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The
RAMPAGE: A Palestinian man was left dead after dozens of Israeli settlers searching for a missing 14-year-old boy stormed a village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later” and warned Tehran not to proceed. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden simply said: “Don’t,” underscoring Washington’s commitment to defend Israel. “We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” he said. Biden said he would not divulge secure information, but said his expectation was that an attack could come “sooner, rather than later.” Israel braced on Friday for an attack by Iran or its proxies as warnings grew of
A prominent Christian leader has allegedly been stabbed at the altar during a Mass yesterday in southwest Sydney. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying Mass at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a man approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. A live stream of the Mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel before it was cut off. The church leader gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, amassing a large online following, Officers attached to Fairfield City police area command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports a number