DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Wednesday, June 16, 2021 | 9 COMMENTHK : Another farce in the making

Grenville Cross says the tribunal’s proclaimed independence begs the question of why so many organizations hostile to China, all with vested interests, are so heavily involved behind the scenes

n London, from June 4-7, sev- issues in ”. Although money the NED has pumped into the Rogers, moreover, by making him a patron, eral hearings were held by a this cannot have pleased either of them, the , has a direct inter- has already tied Nice to Hong Kong Watch’s self-appointed tribunal into obvious thing for them to have done, given est in the outcome of Nice’s inquiry into shirttails, the tribunal he is chairing is alleged and human that justice must always be seen to be done, the , in exactly the same way that hopelessly compromised, and anything it rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang would have been to recuse themselves from Stand with Hong Kong had a direct interest produces cannot be taken seriously. region. It plans to reconvene Grenville Cross the tribunal, but this has not happened. in the outcome of the APPG inquiry into Indeed, although the tribunal proclaims for further hearings between The author is a senior counsel, law The impression, therefore, that they have a the Hong Kong Police Force. At this point, that its proceedings are conducted “in Sept 10-13, and to issue its conclusions by professor and criminal justice analyst, grudge against the country they are investi- the plot becomes yet more intriguing, as accordance with international law and Iyear’s end. These hearings, however, are not and was previously the director of public gating is inescapable, although this is by no the tribunal has also revealed that it was international legal norms”, anybody tun- being held under the auspices of either the prosecutions of the Hong Kong SAR. means all. launched “on 3 September 2020, with assis- ing in to watch its proceedings would have International Criminal Court or the Inter- On June 4, Benedict Rogers, the serial tance from a non-governmental organiza- been startled at its cavalier approach to evi- national Court of Justice, but are the work With (Benedict) Rogers fantasist who runs Hong Kong Watch, the tion, the Coalition for Genocide Response”. dentiary issues. Questioners, for example, of a group of freelancers whose views on propaganda outfi t which specializes in This coalition was founded by the Benedict repeatedly put the answers they wanted China are already well-known. pulling the strings, it (Hong churning out fallacies about China, claimed Rogers’ protege and Hong Kong Watch to hear into the mouths of witnesses, and The tribunal is chaired by Sir Geoƒ rey Kong Watch) provides plat- that it was he who had introduced Nice functionary, Luke Pulford, who also has the rule which inhibits the use of hearsay Nice QC, a British barrister, with Nick forms for Sinophobes like to the Uyghurs, some two and a half years close links to Stand with Hong Kong. And evidence was routinely fl outed. Much of Vetch, a businessman, as his vice-chairman. previously. He has, moreover, clearly taken who should be the patron of the Coalition the “evidence” was simply read out, and It has also recruited Baroness Helena Ken- (Chris) Patten, lionizes fugi- a shine to Nice, as he recently appointed for Genocide Response but David Alton, incoherences were left unexplored for fear nedy QC, a human rights lawyer, to be its tive criminals like Ted Hui him a Hong Kong Watch patron, alongside the Hong Kong Watch patron, who visited of undermining credibility. Not much was Hong Kong in November 2019 on a freebie expected of the tribunal, but it could at “External Advisor”. Nice and Vetch have Chi-fung, uses proxies like the likes of the rabid China basher and for- previously worked closely together, and mer governor, Chris Patten. But things go funded by Stand with Hong Kong, and least have respected its own ground rules. also in relation to China. In 2019, they (Luke) Pulford to create an- deeper than this, as another of its patrons now apparently hopes, on the back of the Nonetheless, Nice has indicated that the both sat on the so-called “China Tribunal”, ti-China front organizations, is Lord (David) Alton, whose name will Uyghurs, to reprise his role in the APPG tribunal’s judgment is not preordained. also chaired by Nice, and to which China forever be linked with the now-infamous scandal. His hands, however, are tied by those strongly objected. Then, as now, the tribu- and makes titled dupes like report on the Hong Kong Police Force, It was, therefore, wholly unsurpris- who expect him to deliver the fi ndings nal was devoid of o” cial status, although (David) Alton available to which the All-Party Parliamentary Group ing that, on Sept 23, 2020, in the House they want. Indeed, in December, Rahima this did not prevent it from producing a provide an aura of respect- on Hong Kong, of which he is a vice-chair, of Lords, Alton asked the British foreign Mahmut, the UK representative of the damning report which accused China of produced in 2020. o” ce minister, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, if the World Uyghur Congress, made clear that forced organ harvesting from prisoners of ability to otherwise nonde- To recap, the APPG, which, despite government would “welcome” the initia- he wants the British government to sanc- conscience. script entities. Since Rogers, its name, has no o” cial standing, was tive to set up the “Uyghur Tribunal”, and tion Chinese o” cials, saying “ hope it is China, however, saw things somewhat moreover, by making him established on Nov 5, 2019, and it then “cooperate” with it. Although the minister’s a matter of time”. And, given the money diƒ erently, and declined to cooperate with announced it would hold an inquiry into reply was non-committal, the tribunal his organization has given the tribunal, he the “China Tribunal”. Its London embassy a patron, has already tied the police force’s handling of medical work- has since thanked the government for clearly expects Nice to come up with the denied the allegations, insisting that the (Geoffrey) Nice to Hong ers during the Hong Kong protests. Once, fast-tracking visas for foreign nationals to goods. Once it does, he hopes to try to force however, the inquiry was established, attend the tribunal. Given Alton’s links with the government’s hand on sanctions, a pos- Chinese government followed World Kong Watch’s shirttails, the Health Organization principles on human researchers discovered that the APPG was Hong Kong Watch, the extent to which it is sibility the tribunal also envisages. transplants, and that, under Chinese law, tribunal he is chairing is being covertly funded by Stand with Hong covertly involved in the tribunal should not The tribunal has indicated that, once its human organ donations must “be done hopelessly compromised, Kong, an anti-police body with close ties to be underestimated, particularly as its CEO, judgment is delivered, “whatever it may be”, voluntarily and gratis”. The embassy, more- both the protest movement and Hong Kong Benedict Rogers, is also an adviser to the it will be for states, international institu- over, expressed the hope that “the British and anything it produces Watch. Since he who pays the piper calls the World Uyghur Congress, which completes tions, commercial companies, art, medical people will not be misled by rumors”. cannot be taken seriously. tune, Stand with Hong Kong expected the the circle. and educational institutions, to decide how Once again, aping international nomen- APPG to produce a damning report, and it Hong Kong Watch, moreover, despite its to apply it in their dealings with China. clature, those inquiring into the Xinjiang got exactly what it had paid for. Indeed, the name, is now operating on various fronts, This, it explains, “would include, but is situation have grandly styled themselves bona fi des, China has refused to have any APPG’s report, which maligned a brave and increasingly unrelated to Hong Kong, but not limited to, trade and other sanctions, the “Uyghur Tribunal” (the tribunal). truck with it, with the Foreign Ministry professional body of men and women, was, which all have China animosity at their including against individuals, proscribing Although Nice says the tribunal plans to spokesman, Wang Wenbin, saying it is by any yardstick, a travesty of justice, and core. It was instrumental, for example, in the sale of technologies, surveillance and “review evidence” and then “reach a judg- “neither legal nor credible”. Although he contemptuous of traditional British notions the creation in 2020 of the Inter-Parlia- medical equipment and the declaration ment”, it has no legal standing and no describes the tribunal as “just another anti- of fair play. That unsavory episode leads mentary Alliance on China (IPAC), that of ineligibility for visas”. If ever there was enforcement powers. He says, nonetheless, China farce concocted by a few individuals”, inexorably into the question of who is fund- now spans 11 countries and parliaments, a classic instance of “nudge, nudge, wink, that “what we hope to achieve is to provide both Nice and Vetch have claimed it will be ing Nice’s inquiry, and at this point foreign and seeks to pressure governments into wink”, this must be it. If, therefore, Nice can facts that others may use”. Indeed, if his fairly conducted. Whereas Nice insists that money again rears its ugly head. adopting policies hostile to China. Where- come up with a judgment which is suitably new report is as critical of China as was his the tribunal will seek “to reach an impartial According to the tribunal’s website, it as IPAC’s co-chair is none other than the condemnatory of China, all those who have last one, those unnamed “others” will lap and considered judgment on whether inter- was in June 2020 that “, Presi- tribunal’s “External Advisor”, Baroness backed his tribunal, fi nancially or other- it up like manna from heaven, just as they national crimes are proved to have been dent of the World Uyghur Congress, for- Helena Kennedy, and its coordinator (and wise, will rub their hands in glee, ecstatic will disregard it if it is exculpatory. committed by the PRC”, Vetch says it is “an mally requested that Sir Geoƒ rey Nice QC founder) is Hong Kong Watch’s own Luke that their eƒ orts have been rewarded. China, of course, denies that abuses have independent endeavor and it will deal with establish an independent people’s tribunal Pulford, Rogers himself is a member of its The “Uyghur Tribunal” claims that it is taken place. It insists that, faced with a the evidence and only the evidence”. As to investigate ‘ongoing atrocities and possi- advisory group. Indeed, IPAC has driven “run by an independent civil society body proliferation of terrorist atrocities by sepa- they both presumably realize, their report, ble genocide’ against the Uyghurs, Kazakhs, the campaign to have the situation in Xin- comprising of a group of legal practitioners, ratists that caused numerous fatalities and to have any credibility, must at least give and other Turkic Muslim populations”. The jiang categorized in national parliaments academics and civil society leaders dedi- destabilized the region, it was necessary to the appearance of objectivity, yet this is pre- World Uyghur Congress, founded in 2004, as “genocide”, and it is now pressing, over cated to impartiality, objectivity and a fair initiate a de-radicalization program. The cisely where their problems lie. is substantially funded by the US-backed the Uyghur issue, for a “diplomatic boy- outcome”. If this is true, it begs the ques- purpose of this was to re-educate people To objective observers, the close involve- National Endowment for Democracy, cott” of the 2022 Winter Games. tion of why so many organizations hostile at risk of indoctrination, to provide them ment of Nice and Vetch with the “China Tri- which promotes US policy interests abroad. Quite clearly, therefore, Hong Kong to China, all with vested interests of their with rehabilitative training, and to reduce bunal” in 2019 is indicative of an anti-China In 2019, for example, it gave $380,000 to Watch is a multi-headed hydra, and right- own, are so heavily involved behind the poverty. Indeed, the spokesman for the Xin- mindset. As China sees it, there is a sus- the World Uyghur Congress, and some, at thinking people everywhere must shun it scenes, albeit in diƒ erent ways. Although jiang regional government, Xu Guixiang, tained campaign in the West to misrepre- least, of this will have made its way into like the plague. With Rogers pulling the Nice may yet surprise us, all the signs point has described the tribunal’s hearings as a sent the situation in Xinjiang, the purpose the tribunal’s coƒ ers. Indeed, of its own strings, it provides platforms for Sino- to the tribunal simply dancing to the tune “total violation of international law and of which is to harm its international stand- fi nancing, the tribunal frankly admits that phobes like Patten, lionizes fugitive crimi- of others, in which case its report, like that order, a serious desecration of the victims ing. Indeed, both Nice and Kennedy were crowdfunding “has raised nearly 250,000 nals like Ted Hui Chi-fung, uses proxies like of the APPG before it, will not be worth the of real genocide, and a serious provocation among the nine individuals and four orga- pounds ($351,000), with an initial amount Pulford to create anti-China front organiza- paper it is written on. to the 25 million people of all ethnic groups nizations sanctioned by China on March of $115,000 donated by the World Uyghur tions, and makes titled dupes like Alton in Xinjiang”. 26, for having “maliciously spread lies Congress”. available to provide an aura of respectabil- The views do not necessarily refl ect those Given its concerns over the tribunal’s and disinformation” about the “so-called In other words, the US, through the ity to otherwise nondescript entities. Since of China Daily. HK’s integration into nation’s development has multiple meanings

ecent discussions surrounding sector’s access to the mainland through of the country’s short- to intermediate- all development strategy of the country. the development of Hong Kong the introduction of a “pilot demonstration” term development strategy. With this Although Hong Kong’s traditional foreign have centered on “integrating approach, making it easier for professionals understanding achieved, no matter where trade and shipping industries are predom- into the overall development from Hong Kong. Hong Kong residents choose to pursue inantly based here, they can be upgraded strategyR of the country”, which has become While previous practices have shown their personal development goals, as long along their value chain if they align their a catchphrase since , general positive results, they also generated a as their career strategy is aligned with the strategy with the national development Paul Yeung secretary of the Communist Party of China “myth”. Whenever the topic of easier mar- national development plan, they will be strategy. Hong Kong can also exploit its The author is senior research o cer of Central Committee, reiterated in his report the One Country Two Systems Research ket access for Hong Kong professionals seen as “integrated into the overall devel- experience in “international infl uence” to the 19th National Congress of the CPC Institute. or encouraging Hong Kong residents to opment strategy of the country”. and exchanges between the Chinese cul- that the central government “supports pursue career opportunities or education Secondly, we ought to fully appreciate, ture and its foreign counterparts. It should Hong Kong and Macao in integrating their there is mentioned, we tend to only think as well as strengthen, our advantages and be useful to the country’s overall develop- own development into the overall develop- Whenever the topic of easier of one-way tra” c from Hong Kong to the positioning, which will provide a strong ment strategy even though it mainly con- ment strategy of the country”. However, market access for Hong Kong mainland. That is not the whole picture, foundation for the integration to take place. cerns matters of foreign relations. not all of us fully understand the true professionals or encourag- but how can we break from that mindset? Consider the country as a big team with When it comes to Hong Kong residents meaning of catchy phrases like this one. I can think of at least three approaches. many diƒ erent parts working together seeking career opportunities on the main- Previously, discussion was focused on ing Hong Kong residents to Firstly, we must have in our mind a big toward a common goal. If Hong Kong land, there are more factors and practical leveraging Hong Kong’s advantages to pursue career opportunities picture of what Hong Kong is integrating wishes to participate in this development considerations than how convenient their meet the country’s needs; the scope then or education there is men- its own development into. “The overall initiative, it must understand comple- new environment is. If discussions of this expanded to include how Hong Kong development strategy of the country” mentary development with its mainland subject are confi ned to individual needs, could benefi t from the country’s strengths, tioned, we tend to only think refers not only to linking Hong Kong with counterparts and know what its own com- we may come to a premature conclusion which, in other words, entails how Hong of one-way traffic from Hong the mainland geographically, but also, in petitive and comparative advantages are, so that “Hong Kong has not been included”. Kong can seize the opportunities brought Kong to the mainland. That is a broader sense, to aligning Hong Kong’s as to keep them up to date and growing. In That idea might discourage Hong Kong about by national development and expand development with the national develop- particular, “one country, two systems”, the residents from joining national develop- its own development space. Specifi cally, not the whole picture. ment strategy. Therefore, we must be well- rule of law, fi nance and international con- ment on the mainland. Therefore, we Hong Kong should primarily concentrate informed of China’s development strategy nections are Hong Kong’s unique strengths. should think outside the box and see the on facilitating professional services to by, for instance, studying the Outline They will be key parameters in determining bigger picture of the overall development access the mainland market through the Guangdong and Hong Kong made a small of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for how eƒ ectively Hong Kong’s own develop- strategy of the country in relation to our Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, breakthrough, which, as one of the initia- National Economic and Social Develop- ment is being integrated into the overall personal lives. starting with mutual recognition of profes- tives to leverage strategic opportunities in ment of the People’s Republic of China and development strategy of the country. sional qualifi cations so as to reduce entry the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater the Long-Range Objectives Through the The fi nal step is to take actions to inte- The views do not necessarily refl ect those hurdles to the mainland market. Recently, Bay Area, enhances the Hong Kong service Year 2035 to brush up on our knowledge grate our own development into the over- of China Daily.