8 | Thursday, May 21, 2020 HONG KONG EDITION | CHINA DAILY CHINA

Tony Tse Wai-chuen, vice- chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Council, talks with China Daily on the recent RTHK ‘must not report released by the council. PARKER ZHENG /CHINA DAILY spread hatred’ Commerce secretary stresses broadcasters’ programs should always be based on facts We don’t mean to

By HE SHUSI in Hong Kong production and editorial procedure. favor anyone. We [email protected] Freedom of speech is always protected strive to be fair, objec- under the Basic Law. But as a public tive and state the facts Hong Kong’s commerce secretary broadcaster, RTHK must uphold and stressed on Wednesday that no broad- abide by the Charter of RTHK in dis- so that the report is caster should spread hatred, denigra- charging its duties, Yau stressed. trustworthy.’’ tion or insult toward anyone on its pro- He will meet with the RTHK Board of Tony Tse Wai-chuen, grams, after an anti-police program on Advisors today to follow up on the sta- vice-chairman of the Radio Television Hong Kong led to a tion’s production and editorial system. Independent Police public outcry. Accepting CA’s ruling, RTHK apolo- Complaints Council Meeting the press on the sidelines of a gized on Tuesday to “any police o” cers Legislative Council meeting on Wednes- or others who have been o’ ended, or day, Secretary for Commerce and Eco- who are dissatisfi ed with the station’s nomic Development Edward Yau Tang- output”. wah said programs created by broadcast- The station said it will suspend the IPCC defends police use of force as ers need to be fact-based — a rule that all show concerned after the current season broadcasters should follow. If they don’t, ends, and conduct a review on how to they fail their audience, Yau said. develop the show “in an ever-changing Yau’s comments came after the RTHK- social environment”. in line with international practices produced program Headliner received Lam Chi-wai, chairman of Junior over 3,300 complaints for making mis- Police O” cers’ Association, welcomed By JOSEPH LI in Hong Kong on the use of force are, by and large, report is to provide the public with “police-triad collusion” on July 21, leading and one-sided comments that the verdict, calling it “belated justice” for [email protected] on par with international practic- more facts about what had hap- and the fake news that six people tarnish the reputation of the city’s law police o” cers. es, though there remain areas for pened in the past 10 months. were killed by o” cers inside Prince enforcers. In a phone interview with China Daily, The deputy head of the city’s improvement, particularly when Edward MTR Station on Aug 31. The Communications Authority (CA), Lam said that as a public broadcaster, police watchdog has defended the officers encounter violence or Aim to provide truths The report also devoted a chap- the body that oversees broadcasters, on RTHK’s denigration of the police, based use of force by o” cers to subdue potentially lethal risks. Since the council has no inves- ter on the use of force by police, Tuesday issued a warning to RTHK, rul- on inaccurate and one-sided informa- protesters during last year’s social According to the watchdog, tigative powers, the report mere- and six others on key incidents, ing the program violated various provi- tion, was “irresponsible” and “unethical”. unrest as necessary and in line among the 1,400 protests that ly listed the facts obtained from including those on June 12 and sions in the Generic Code of Practice on Lam said he hopes RTHK can sincere- with international practices dur- had occurred since June, more public information, the media and July 1 (both outside the Legislative Television Programme Standards. ly learn from the lesson, and not repeat ing a one-on-one interview with than 590 police o” cers have been police procedures, and arranged Council Complex), July 21 (in Yuen Following the verdict, Commerce and those mistakes in future productions. China Daily. injured, with 61 hospitalized, as the them chronologically for the public Long) and Aug 31 (Prince Edward Economic Development Bureau — the The controversy centered on an episode “Some people accuse the police protesters used potentially lethal to judge, he said. MTR Station). department supervising RTHK — said on Feb 14, which was widely criticized of using excessive force. But, like weapons, such as gasoline bombs, “The report o’ ers a macro over- The IPCC had initially engaged in a press release that the situation is for maliciously defaming the city’s law anywhere in the world, the police arrows, bricks and sling shots. view of the events from June last five overseas experts to join in “very serious given that RTHK, as a enforcers. It will be removed, RTHK said. have to use greater force to sub- “O” cers had fi red only 19 live year to early March this year, to drafting the report, but they subse- public service broadcaster, has been In that episode, the host was dressed in due the protesters,” said Tony Tse rounds during 12 of the protests. find out if there’re inadequacies quently dropped out, complaining repeatedly ruled to have breached vari- a style similar to a police o” cer, with his Wai-chuen, vice-chairman of the In foreign countries, police would in police handling of the protests that the council has no investigat- ous provisions in the code, including neck and hands wrapped with garbage Independent Police Complaints shoot those people committing and operational procedures. If ing powers. One of the experts said failure to ensure the accuracy of the fac- bags. He emerged from a large garbage Council. arson,” Tse said. “The police have a the procedures can be improved, recently he would release his own tual contents in the program; remarks bin at the beginning of the segment, spoke In a 1,000-page report released duty to maintain law and order and complaints against officers will report. and content regarded as hate speech, while standing inside of it, and returned last week on the unrest that erupt- may have to use force, depending decrease,” Tse said. “We had spent a year preparing denigrating and insulting the police; to the large bin and closed the lid behind ed in June over the now-withdrawn on the circumstances.” “We don’t mean to favor anyone. the report, but how much does he and failure to include a sufficiently him at the end of the program. extradition law amendment bill, The violence, he said, had esca- We strive to be fair, objective and know, given he’s just a foreigner broad range of views in the personal In the ruling, the authority said the the IPCC concluded that the police lated as the protests persisted, with state the facts so that the report is and had stayed in Hong Kong for view program”. segment on the garbage bin “had nothing force has been relatively self- radical demonstrators setting fi re trustworthy. But, the report is not a very short time,” Tse responded. The public broadcaster was told to to do with any particular conduct or the restrained in using force. But, the everywhere, attacking MTR sta- aimed at reducing adverse public “The IPCC has no investigating “address the concerns raised by di’ er- work of the police, or public concerns on protesters had resorted to violent tions and destroying facilities, van- sentiment.” powers and that’s something he ent stakeholders on its programs, man- the way the police exercised their author- acts, vandalism and vigilantism dalizing shops and banks, hurling The IPCC noted some of the should have known from the begin- agement and governance. It should take ity, but to denigrate the police as a social while alleging “police brutality”. gasoline bombs and beating up peo- police force’s shortcomings and ning. If we’ve no investigating pow- positive and proactive follow-up action group, and was also a gratuitous attack on The report said the extensive ple with di’ erent political views. made 52 recommendations. The ers, he does not have such powers and give an account to the public,” the that entire group”. guidelines for Hong Kong police Tse said the aim of the IPCC report also dispelled charges of either. So, what can he fi nd?” bureau said. It demanded the station o’ er an apol- See more ogy and a full review of the program To the point, p9 Tse: Rumors of police collusion are of little logic Arts on stamps By JOSEPH LI in Hong Kong and friends would have come out. of them reported people being longed protests is very important. [email protected] However, the protesters could not killed or injured so seriously that “We have to spend lots of time provide any evidence, not even the they would die. to look into fact or the material The vice-head of the city’s police names, sex, age, etc, of the people Also unfounded is the allega- information we gather to ensure watchdog debunked rumors that ‘killed’. In a busy city like Hong tion that police colluded with tri- this information and their sources,” have emerged from the prolonged Kong, it would be very di” cult to ads, which stemmed from a brief Tse said. social unrest since June, including cover up deaths in the station as it exchange of words between a Among the 52 recommendations the often-cited multiple deaths of would need the collusion of many police o” cer and a man wearing the watchdog made to the city’s law protesters at the Prince Edward departments and institutions,” said a white T-shirt, and the officer’s enforcement, it has advised police MTR station on Aug 31, and the Tse, who also is a member of the patting the man’s shoulder, he said. to enhance communications with allegation of police collusion in the Legislative Council. Tse hopes the report will set the the public to avoid unnecessary, Yuen Long incident of July 21. Tse was responding to rumors truth straight, and provide the facts unfounded or malicious specula- Tony Tse Wai-chuen, vice-chair- that police murdered six people to enable members of the public tion and rumors. These sugges- man of the Independent Police during the Aug 31 incident, which to judge the accusations in a more tions include measures to enhance Complaints Council, found the the police watchdog report found rational and informed manner. the transparency of the police’s rumors of “little logic” and said the to be an “extraordinary claim” as In the face of a slew of fake infor- work and its publicity and public rumors have misled people, lead- no evidence whatsoever was pro- mation surrounding the often-vio- education on its procedures and Hongkong Post launches the sixth issue of ‘’Hong Kong Museums Collection’’ ing to “a wrong conclusion”. vided. The report noted that pas- lent protests, Tse said providing practices to ease public concerns special stamps on Wednesday. CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY “If people had died, their families sengers were at the scene, yet none a fact-based account of the pro- and quash speculation and rumors.

foundation for peaceful development country, two systems’ and are willing across the Straits. to create a broad space for peaceful Island: Taiwan question involves nation’s core interests He said some Taiwan politicians reunifi cation, but we will never leave have tried to create confrontation and any room for any form of ‘Taiwan From page 1 and people have a strong resolve to peo’s statement on Wednesday. The the ministry said in a statement. obstruct exchanges and cooperation independence’ activities,” he said. oppose the separatist activities of ministry said the People’s Liberation Separatist forces and their actions across the Straits, attempting to sever He said the mainland will continue The statement cited the three Chi- “Taiwan independence” forces and Army will take all necessary mea- contradict national justice and will the relationship between Taiwan and to unite the majority of Taiwan com- na-US joint communiques, which safeguard the country’s sovereignty sures to fi rmly safeguard national surely be recorded in history as shame- the Chinese mainland geographically patriots and work together to promote are the foundation of the develop- and territorial integrity, oppose any sovereignty and territorial integrity ful, the statement said, adding that the and legally. exchanges and cooperation, harmo- ment of China-US relations, saying external forces interfering with the and maintain peace and stability PLA has a fi rm will, full confi dence “They have stepped up to collude nize their bonds and deepen the devel- the US recognizes the government of country’s domestic a’ airs and realize across the Taiwan Straits. and su” cient capacity to frustrate any with external forces to sabotage peace opment of cross-Straits integration. the People’s Republic of China as the national unifi cation. The ministry said Taiwan is an form of external interference and “Tai- across the Straits and seek ‘Taiwan The mainland will also actively sole legal government of China and “Taiwan independence” will lead inseparable part of China, and the wan independence” attempts. independence’ during the COVID-19 help Taiwan business leaders and only maintains unofficial relations nowhere but a dead end, and any actions of the US have seriously Ma Xiaoguang, spokesman for pandemic,” Ma said, adding that a companies resume work and produc- with Taiwan. move to condone or support “Tai- interfered in China’s internal a’ airs, the Taiwan A’ airs O” ce of the State small number of separatists have also tion and support their enjoyment of US o” cials have brazenly broken wan independence” activities is putting the development of relations Council, said China urges the US to clamored for the so-called “revision more development opportunities and the commitment made by the US doomed to fail, the statement said. between the two militaries in danger strictly abide by the one-China prin- of the law” and “referendum amend- sense of gain in their motherland. government, sent the wrong signals Any practice that damages China’s and damaging peace and stability ciple and the provisions of the three ment” conspiracy to justify “Taiwan “We are willing to strengthen to “Taiwan independence” forces and core interests and interferes in the across the Taiwan Straits. joint communiques, stick to the basic independence”. exchanges with Taiwan parties, severely jeopardized the peace and country’s domestic affairs will be The Taiwan question concerns Chi- rules of international relations and “These acts have seriously damaged groups and individuals based on the stability across the Taiwan Straits as strongly opposed, it said. na’s core interests and the sentiments stop any form of o” cial exchanges the well-being of Taiwan compatriots, common political ground of adhering well as Sino-US relations, the state- China urges the US to halt o” cial of 1.4 billion Chinese people and no with Taiwan. the fundamental interests of the Chi- to the one-China principle and oppos- ment said. relations with Taiwan, stop interfer- external interference is allowed. Ma said in an earlier announce- nese nation and peace and stability ing ‘Taiwan independence’,” he said, ing with China’s internal a’ airs and “We fi rmly object to any form of ment in response to Tsai’s inaugural across the Straits,” he added. adding that the Chinese mainland Interference opposed avoid remarks and actions that dam- o” cial exchanges and military con- address that the situation of the cross- Ma stressed that national reunifi ca- will continue to promote dialogue on The Taiwan question concerns age cross-Straits peace and stability as tacts between Taiwan and any coun- Straits relationship is complicated tion is indispensable for the great reju- cross-Straits relations and the nation’s China’s sovereignty and the integrity well as China-US ties, it added. try. We will never allow anyone, any and serious, and the refusal of the venation of the Chinese nation and is future. of its territory and matters related to The Ministry of National Defense organization, any political party to island’s Democratic Progressive Party “unstoppable” by anyone or any force. its core interests, the statement said. also expressed strong dissatisfac- split any piece of Chinese territory to recognize the one-China principle “We adhere to the basic principle Contact the writers at It added that the Chinese government tion and firm opposition to Pom- from China in any form at any time,” unilaterally undermines the political of peaceful reunification and ‘one [email protected]