| Monday, March 22, 2021 8 CHINA DAILY | EDITION Thursday, June 3, 2021 | 9 COMMENTHK Those who create fake news Democratic Party could avoid political must be held responsible irrelevance via reform

Tu Haiming says tracing and eradicating the source of fter the introduction of electoral reforms to ensure lawlessness offers a solution to HK’s chaotic situation a system of “patriots gov- erning Hong Kong”, the DemocraticA Party faces a watershed he truth about the contro- the police or sue for damages. She also moment whether to participate in versy over a woman who refused to hand over her medical report to future Legislative Council and Elec- was purportedly hit in the the authorities in accordance with a court tion Committee elections. To avoid its and Kacee Ting Wong eye during the “black revo- order. All those rejections made no sense descent into political irrelevance in Junius Ho is a Legislative Council lution” in 2019 is gradually and puzzled many people. Hong Kong, the DP should listen to member and a solicitor. Kacee Ting Wong is a barrister and surfacing. The “half-blind” If fake news could be used as a pretext the advice oŸ ered by Tian Feilong, an a part-time researcher at Shenzhen woman, who was recently Tu Haiming for organizing a riot to advance one’s politi- associate professor at Beihang Uni- University Hong Kong and Macao reported to have fl ed to Taiwan last year The author is a Hong Kong member of cal agenda, and the culprit could go unpun- versity’s Law School in Beijing and the National Committee of the Chinese Basic Law Research Center. with no trace of physical damage in either ished, it would be an insult to Hong Kong’s director of the Chinese Association of T People’s Political Consultative Conference. eye, was portrayed by “mutual destruction” rule of law and civilization in general. Hong Kong and Macao Studies. Tian advocates and rioters as a victim of police Some people in Hong Kong like referring suggested that the DP purge its own distance itself from the violent pro- brutality. Spreading fake news is one to “international standards” as a bench- organization to rid itself of radical testers and rioters during the 2019 The “eye-injury” incident triggered the of the routine tactics used mark. If that is the case, they should know elements and redefi ne its political anti-extradition campaign clearly occupation of Hong Kong International Air- that in the US and many other Western platform. A purge and a reformula- demonstrates how the radicals led the port on Aug 13, 2019, as anti-China forces in “color revolutions”. As countries, spreading fake news is an oŸ ense tion of party policies may raise the DP by the nose. Though the DP real- used the story as an excuse to demand “an for the “black revolution” punishable by imprisonment and a fi ne. patriotic profi le of the party to enable ized that the situation was dire after eye for an eye”. During the illegal occupa- in Hong Kong, a well-oiled On the other hand, some people like to it to meet the patriotic test set by the the promulgation of the National tion that paralyzed HKIA for two days, use “freedom of the press” or “freedom of central authorities. But Tian warned Security Law for Hong Kong in June some participants played lynch mob by rumor mill set up and oper- expression” as a shield for rumormonger- that the DP should avoid a sudden 2020, few were prepared for the illegally detaining and torturing a reporter ated by anti-China forces ing, as if journalists and media outlets, as change of policies. rigorous enforcement that followed. from the Global Times newspaper. The bru- was running 24/7 to demon- the “fourth estate” of a democratic society, A purge has an added appeal to the Earlier this year, four DP lawmakers tality, which shocked the city and the world, can get away with deceiving the public. party because local public opinion has — Siu-kin, Lam Cheuk- was a turning point of the “black revolu- ize the SAR government What they should realize is that “freedom recently shifted toward an emphasis ting, Pik-wan and Wu tion” in 2019. Soon afterward, all sorts of and the police force. It was of the press”, or “freedom of expression”, on the need for a better understand- Chi-wai — were among the 47 opposi- violence such as vigilantism, vandalism and does not include fake news, and “freedom ing of Hong Kong’s obligation to tion activists charged with subversion arson took place citywide, plunging Hong a page torn directly from the of speech” does not mean freedom of safeguard national security — away for taking part in an uno‘ cial pri- Kong into an abyss of riots and violent ram- “color revolution” playbook. rumormongering. As no one is above the from the previous tolerance of the use mary poll to shortlist candidates for pages for months on end. law, fake news must be thoroughly investi- of radical confrontational tactics to the upcoming LegCo election, with Following the eye-injury incident, more gated, especially the ones that incite riots. promote democratic ideas. As Tian the declared ultimate objective of top- fake news and stories fabricated by anti- Spreading fake news is one of the rou- Culprits who spread fake news should be opined, Hong Kong residents will pling the SAR government. Another China and anti-government forces fl ooded tine tactics used in “color revolutions”. As charged with inciting riots, while investiga- understand the new situation, though rising star of the party, Chi- the internet and airwaves, each sounding for the “black revolution” in Hong Kong, a tions into the dubious practices of some a turnaround may incur the wrath of fung, is now in self-imposed exile more incredible and infl ammatory than the well-oiled rumor mill set up and operated media outlets are also necessary. some supporters. after his withdrawal from the DP in other, in a race of hate-mongering against by anti-China forces was running 24/7 to Not only can Hong Kong invoke its exist- Formed in 1994, the DP was the December. the Hong Kong Special Administrative demonize the SAR government and the ing laws to prosecute disinformation, the most infl uential “pan-democratic” With the benefi t of hindsight, the Region government, and the police force in police force. It was a page torn directly city now also has a powerful tool for party in Hong Kong from the mid- DP made a strategic error by a‘ liat- particular. from the “color revolution” playbook. that purpose. The National Security Law for 1990s to the early 2000s. It used ing itself with the radical “localists” The alleged deaths at the Prince Edward These anti-China radicals are guided Hong Kong has clear defi nitions of inciting reasoned debate within the system and protesters in the past few years. MTR station were a good example. On by Western forces in their disinformation other persons to commit oŸ enses related and extra-institutional mass organiza- It is no longer an infl uential politi- Aug 31 that year, law-enforcement o‘ cers campaign, fabricating stories that follow to secession and subversion of State power. tion to campaign for democratization. cal force in Hong Kong. It appears made arrests at the MTR station after tight plots to the letter. Take the eye-injury For instance, Article 21 stipulates that “a Though it is a local party, the DP, that the DP may have labored under receiving reports about physical assaults incident for example. The young woman in person who incites, assists in, abets or under the infl uence of the late Szeto the mistaken belief that only radical involving black-clad rioters on the train. question was reportedly rushed to a hospi- provides pecuniary or other fi nancial assis- Wah, is also interested in promoting confrontational tactics could force Wild claims of mass deaths began to sur- tal and immediately put under a shroud of tance or property for the commission by democracy on the Chinese main- Beijing to accommodate their politi- face almost immediately, triggering a wave secrecy; her ward was watched by security other persons of the oŸ ence under Article land. Its relatively moderate political cal demands. As important as the of criminal vandalism at MTR and police guards at all times, and no one except for a 20 of this Law shall be guilty of an oŸ ence”. stance, together with a willingness to above miscalculation was, factors stations and government o‘ ces. However, few designated medical staŸ members were Article 23 specifi es that “a person who engage in dialogue with the central such as the fear of alienating radical none of the “deceased” has been verifi ed allowed to approach that area. The police incites, assists in, abets or provides pecuni- authorities, set the stage for a secret supporters and the strength of the and nobody knows why there has been no were obstructed twice from obtaining her ary or other fi nancial assistance or property meeting between Li Gang, the then- radical elements within the DP were report of any missing person by families of medical report. Her legal counsel, Paul Har- for the commission by other persons of the deputy director of the Liaison O‘ ce likely to have exerted pressure on the the “deceased”. Other fake news aimed at ris, rejected police requests for the report, oŸ ence under Article 22 of this Law shall of the Central People’s Government in DP to seek a damaging accommoda- discrediting the police include “rape at the citing privacy concerns, and even resorted be guilty of an oŸ ence”. Therefore, if anyone the Hong Kong Special Administra- tion with the “localists” and militants. San Uk Ling Holding Centre”, “gang rape to a judicial review to block an o‘ cial plans to orchestrate fake news to serve the tive Region, and the leaders of the DP To return from the cliŸ edge, the at Police Station”, etc., which investigation. purpose of dividing the country or subvert- in May 2010. DP should take Tian’s advice to fueled violence on the streets. This fantastical story apparently started ing the State, their action will fall under Unlike the DP, the and launch a purge and amend its politi- Even United States news agency Bloom- with the main character faking an injury, the category of inciting others to commit the League of Social Democrats were cal platforms. It came as no surprise berg found the fake news feast in Hong and was then packaged by the rumor mill crimes under the National Security Law. not interested in negotiating with the that Lo Kin-hei, the chairman of the Kong hard to stomach. In an article titled as news about police brutality, shielded by a Quelling violence is only the fi rst step in central authorities. To distance itself DP, reacted negatively to Tian’s advice “How Fake News and Rumors Are Stoking barrister from public scrutiny, helped by an the quest for long-term stability. Tracing from the moderate DP, the League in mid-May. In an earlier remark, Division in Hong Kong” in November 2019, “oversight” on the part of some members and eradicating the source of lawlessness, of Social Democrats called for the Wai-hing told her DP col- it reported that Hong Kong was inundated of the Hospital Authority and Legal Aid which includes malicious disinformation resignation of fi ve “pan-democratic” leagues not to run in “meaningless by fake news. The massive disinformation Department, but most importantly, staged campaigns, will oŸ er a permanent solution legislators in July 2009 in order to elections with new rules that were campaign launched by anti-establishment painstakingly by the bankrollers behind the to Hong Kong’s chaotic situation, and the oŸ er an opportunity for Hong Kong too degrading and humiliating to the forces, and sometimes propagated by their scenes, to deceive the public and turn Hong fi rst step we must take is to bring the cre- citizens to show their support for opposition”. Lau still has many follow- media allies, was intended to demon- Kong upside down. Once the damage was ator of disinformation to justice! universal suŸ rage with their vote ers in the DP. ize the SAR government, particularly the done, the “half-blind” woman was nowhere in an ad hoc election. Tanya Chan Preoccupied with the Western- Hong Kong Police Force, with the purpose to be found. This is an excerpted translation of the au- Suk-chong of the CP was among the propagated “input legitimacy” prin- of demoralizing and thus weakening the Although the eye-injury story was well- thor’s Chinese article published in Ta Kung lawmakers who resigned. They called ciple, some pro-Western DP leaders force’s ability to enforce the law and main- written, it lacked fi nesse in execution. For Pao. The views do not necessarily refl ect the process a de facto referendum. believe that the DP’s participation tain peace and order. instance, the protagonist refused to alert those of China Daily. They hoped that many voters would in the election will legitimize the vote on this issue and return the fi ve polls and the HKSAR government. “pan-democrats” to the legislature, But the new chief executive and the with the aim of piling pressure on the new 90-member Legislative Council central and HKSAR governments to will probably be more interested Upholding the law accelerate democratization in Hong in “output legitimacy”. Following Kong. The CP is also fond of using the successful Chinese governance confrontational tactics to advocate model, they will try their best to their democratic ideas. achieve citizens’ goals and solve their The DP has felt a cold shudder bris- problems eŸ ectively and e‘ ciently. tle down its spine since the “localists” Frank Schimmelfennig is one of the emerged as an infl uential political famous proponents of the theory of force in Hong Kong. Some “localist” output legitimacy. The DP should not groups seem to have reaped most of exaggerate its role in legitimizing the the upside from the “Umbrella Move- polls. ment” of 2014 by promoting radical Most importantly, playing by the political ideas and adopting a “local- new electoral rules is the only fea- ist” agenda. Many “localists” have sible way for it to ensure the voice diŸ erent political viewpoints from the of the DP is still heard and impose DP, and they advocate the “right of a modicum of accountability on the Hong Kongers to self-determination”. government. It does not make sense A few radicals even advocate the inde- for the DP to forsake this opportunity pendence of Hong Kong. and allow other moderate democrats Following the “Umbrella Move- to fi ll the gap. The Third Side and ment”, a number of “localist” political the are ready to parties were formed, organizing pro- participate in the forthcoming LegCo tests and participating in the Legisla- election. Far from being a departure tive Council election. They won six from its raison d’etre, an amendment seats in the 2016 Legislative Council of its platforms will allow the DP to Election. Because of their improper rectify its strategic errors and regain oath-taking, Nathan Law Kwun- the trust of the central authorities. chung, Lau Siu-lai, Baggio Leung A purge will convince the central Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching were authorities that the DP is a patriotic unseated from the LegCo. Neverthe- party. Local residents protest outside the Central Government Offices on Wednesday to demand that the Legislative Council investigate less, the DP has found it di‘ cult to Hong Kong Bar Association Chairman Paul Harris’ relationship with the US National Endowment for Democracy and to call for his win the backing of radical supporters. The views do not necessarily refl ect resignation. CALVIN NG /CHINA DAILY The unwillingness of the DP to those of China Daily.