Pressure will force SAR to make stand, says Martin Lee

Matthew Lee

February 2, 2001

PRESSURE from Beijing for enactment of a subversion law will force the government to make a stand on the principle of ``one country, two systems'', Democratic Party chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming says.

Responding to Secretary for Security Regina Ip Lau Shuk-yee's strong words yesterday, Mr Lee said the government need not bow to pressure from Beijing.

``Articles 18 and 23 [of the Basic law] were enacted against subversive organisations targeting the Central Government. The Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong are not fanatics, I don't see any subversive effect they might have on Beijing,'' Mr Lee said.

"This is where the SAR Government scores or loses. The spirit of `one country, two systems' could be best manifested in this case."

The head of the Hong Kong Association of Falun Dafa, Kan Hung-cheung, said there had been no indication that the government was planning to cancel its registration.

But even if the organization on the mainland were to be defined as a "political group" as well as [slanderous word], Hong Kong followers should not be affected. ``Even if we were connected with our China counterparts after they had been framed as political organizations, we should still be unaffected because the Society Ordinance does not apply to political organizations on the mainland,'' he said. The group has boosted promotion activities with an advertising billboard in Tsim Sha Tsui which, he said, was not a swipe at Beijing.

"There isn't any intimidating image or expression on the board. Even if we showed how the authorities had treated practitioners on the mainland, it shouldn't be a problem - because it is a fact," he said.

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