Hong Kong 2047

Eco-Vandalism across Hong Kong Art in the City Stretched to the limits Biodiversity jeopardized by Does Hong Kong appreciate public Shortage of nurses at public hospitals loopholes in the law art? puts pressure on patient care P12 P18 P22 magazineTHE YOUNG REP RTER May 2016 Hong Kong 2047 A new constitution could be the way out In This Issue 4 Hong Kong 2047 12 Eco-Vandalism across Hong Kong 20 Connecting with Tattoos Biodiversity jeopardized by A new constitution could be the loopholes in the law The ink may be skin deep, but the way out accent is deeper. NEWS NEWS FEATURE 16 Ancient Art in a Modern City 22 Stretched to the limits 10 Bobsy Gaia: 25 years of Shortage of nurses at public Ecopreneurship in Hong Kong Handmade ukuleles bring happy hospitals puts pressure on patient sound to Hong Kong care NEWS An entrepreneur and his eco- friendly businesses 18 Art in the City 26 Plant-based Therapy Helps Students Bloom Does Hong Kong appreciate public art? Horticultural therapy to alleviate student suicide problem THE YOUNG REP RTER Letter from the Editor magazine Editor-in-Chief Editors In this issue of The Young Reporter, demonstrations, with The Umbrella Jon Chan Aaron Au our feature covers a subject that Movement being the face of Hong Jonathan Chan should concern everyone - the Kong’s cry for democracy. Deputy Editors Michelle Chan Hilda Lo Kary Hsu future of Hong Kong. Alvin Kor With over 30 years to go before the Lindsy Long Ann Li Beijing promised Hong Kong that 2047 deadline, our reporter talked Candice Tang Anna Tang Joanna Wong there would be no change in the to politicians and scholars alike, Social Media and Web Catherine Xu region for 50 years, promising who say that constitutional reform Editors to preserve the concept of “One could be the answer to Hong Kong’s Fred Lai Reporters Country Two Systems” until 2047. future, though it may be hard to gain Janet Sun Morris Chan momentum and begin without the Julianna Wu Emily Cheung Charlotte Yang Paulus Choy However, events such as the 831 help from a crisis in the mainland. Connie Fong decision have raised doubts as to Video Editors Susan Gao whether the promise will be kept Also in this issue are stories about Sharon Shi Ellen He among members of the public. horticultural therapy, public art in Sharon Tang James Ho Hong Kong and many more. Natalie Wong Melissa Ko On 31 August 2014, the NPC Celia Lai Art Directors Alfred Lam Standing Committee decided on a As the semester comes to an end, the Phoebe Chau Sing Lee framework for Hong Kong’s 2017 print edition of The Young Reporter Arisa Lai Isabella Lo Chief Executive election, which will halt until the beginning of the Rainie Lam Tiffany Lui would allow people to vote for a fall semester. We will continue our Daniel Ma chief executive from two to three social media activity however, so Public Relations Officer Crystal Tai Henry Wong candidates nominated by a group of there is no need to miss us! Flavia Wong Nicki Wong 1,200 committee members. Distribution Officer Cecilia Wong Choco Chan Richelia Yeung The decision was not well- Herbert Cheung Tracy Zhang Jon Chan received by everybody and sparked Editor-in-Chief Advisers Jenny Lam Francis Moriarty Design Adviser Publisher Wade Chan Alice Lee The Young Reporter Printer Volume 48 No. 8 Department of Journalism School of Communication 2016 Hong Kong Baptist University EMAIL [email protected] WEBSITE tyr.hk 4 •FEATURE HONG KONG 2047 A new constitution could be the way out FEATURE• 5 Instead of attaching much attention to Beijing’s responses, we shall defend ourselves actively and get fully prepared, said localist Alvin Cheng Kam-mun, also known as ‘4 Eyes Brother’ When Hong Kong returned to Chi- to our voices.” said the 28-year-old, Article 23 stipulates that The Hong nese rule in 1997, Beijing promised “or else there would be another un- Kong Special Administrative Region there would be no change for the ter- precedented protest.” shall enact laws on its own to pro- ritory for 50 years. The concept of hibit any act of treason, secession, “One Country Two Systems”will end Cheng was the youngest among the sedition, subversion against the Cen- in 2047. With just over 30 years to go, five members of the localist faction tral People's Government, or theft of politicians and scholars are coming who intend to run in the the Leg- state secrets, to prohibit foreign po- up with have different ideas for Hong islative Council election in Sep- litical organizations or bodies from Kong’s future. tember. Their idea: a de facto ref- conducting political activities in the erendum in the five geographical Region, and to prohibit political or- One of those is to write a new con- constituencies so that all citizens ganizations or bodies of the Region stitution. can help to come up with a new from establishing ties with foreign constitution. political organizations or bodies. Alvin Cheng Kam-mun of Civic Pas- sion, also known as “4-eyed brother”, ”Constitutional reform can be “Constitutional reform is a step to- has been an activist since the Um- down-to-earth. People would ward deciding Hong Kong’s future, brella Movement in 2014. understand when we talk about be it independence, continuation of amending unjust clauses such as ‘One Country Two Systems’’or reuni- “If a de facto referendum on consti- Article 23 of the Basic Law,” said fication with the United Kingdom.” tutional reform goes in ahead in 2018, the member from Civic Passion. he said. the government will have to respond 6 •6FEATURE •FEATURE Student activist, Joshua Wong “Without mentioning the word ‘constitution’, it Chi-fung, proposed a “Hong Kong Charter”in March. That is, draw up a might not sound legally problematic. But bear in blueprint for Hong Kong over the next ten years by collecting public opinions mind that Beijing would not be happy regardless of on the points of contention in the Basic the label, as long as the underlying issue is prob- Law. The goal is to call a referendum in 2030 based on the Hong Kong Charter. lematic,” “By writing a Hong Kong Charter and Joshua Wong Chi-fung, Student activist a constitution, we will effectively have the endorsement of the people. Our ap- proach is different from the localists’ in that they only put details of constitution to online for netizens to edit, like a ‘wikipedia’ constitution creation sys- tem.” said Mr Wong. Matthew Wong Yee-hang, an expert in Hong Kong politics at the University of Hong Kong, said that a Hong Kong Charter may be more acceptable to most people than drawing up a new constitution. “Without mentioning the word ‘constitution’, it might not sound legally problematic. But bear in mind that Bei- jing would not be happy regardless of the label, as long as the underlying issue is problematic,” Mr Wong said. He also mentioned Charter 08, a pe- tition issued by hundreds of Chinese intellectuals in 2008, including Nobel Prize winner, Liu Xiaobo, to call for im- provement in human rights and democratic freedom in China. Dr Yvonne Chiu, an International relations expert at the University of Hong Kong , said the localist faction needs advice from the pan-democrats. They also need allies in future movements in the legislature. She also suggested an independent group to act as a watchdog, “We need a group to coordinate with other political parties, such as the FEATUREFEATURE• 77 • 7 “Democracy in China will not be beneficial to Hong Kong’s democratic development. On the contrary, a crisis in China is the key,” said Benny Tai. Taiwan Foundation for Democracy because they may not want to antag- quite difficult for Hong Kong people (TFD).” onise Beijing further.” he said. to start the process officially.” Max Wong Wei-lun, an assistant Back in 2014, legislator Raymond “In case a candidate advocating such professor at the University of Hong Wong Yuk-man’s motion to call for demands wins a seat in LegCo, surely Kong, who formerly commentated the establishment of a constitutional it would gain more support in the fu- for Now TV, TVB and the Hong Kong amendments convention in order to ture. It may end up becoming a big Economic Times said that China’s amend the Basic Law, and work out movement in the society. No one can responses toward Hong Kong’s af- a new constitution. The motion was stop that. That would be the choice fairs is an important factor in the voted down in the Legislative Coun- of Hong Kong people.” Mr Tai said. city’s political environment. cil. An article by Mr Tai published in “Youngsters with different views Benny Tai Yiu-ting, associate profes- March , suggested that there has should propose their ideas, discuss sor at the University of Hong Kong to be a crisis in China before Hong and compromise. That is the way Faculty of Law said the results might Kong can have true democracy. out,” said Mr. Wong.. be the same if localists proposed a similar motion in the legislature. “If the Central government collapses, “Deciding Hong Kong’s future then Hong Kong people might have should be a collaborative work.We “I believe the pan-democrats will the opportunity to establish our own can do it anytime if we are prepared. not support such an act at this point, constitution. Otherwise it will be We can even start now,” said Wilson 8 •FEATURE “After all, it depends on what Hong Kong citizens want and the discussion among the young generation,” said media commentator Max Wong Wei-lun.

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