10 | Wednesday, May 13, 2020 EDITION| CHINA DAILY COMMENTHK

TO THE POINT Criminal justice: Germany STAFF WRITER must hand back HK fugitives Willful blindness in SAR Grenville Cross calls for Germany to respect SAR’s judicial dangerous, destructive Chief Executive Carrie Lam of “cultivating critical thinking”. system and revoke refugee status for two absconding rioters Cheng Yuet-ngor was asked How else can anyone explain whether she has any proof for why a 13-year-old student har- n April 29, the Court of makes clear, a refugee is somebody who has her claim that some teachers are bors such bitter hatred against Appeal dismissed the a “well-founded fear of being persecuted “poisoning” children with biased his own country that he set fi re appeals against sentence for reasons of race, religion, nationality, views and spreading “false and to the national fl ag, leading to of three defendants membership in a particular social group, biased information” in schools. his arrest? And how else can you convicted of rioting and or political opinion”. Since Wong and Li fell That this was the fi rst ques- explain why a 19-year-old student assaulting police in the into none of these categories, and were only tion for Lam when she met the is so vicious that he slashed the Mong Kok riots during being prosecuted because of their alleged media before Tuesday’s Executive neck of a police o˜ cer with a the Lunar New Year holiday in 2016 (CACC Grenville Cross involvement in street violence, their asylum Council meeting suggests she has box-cutter in public without any O164/2018). Edward Leung Tin-kei, Lo Kin- The author is a senior counsel, law profes- claim was manifestly bogus. poked a hornets’ nest — inadver- provocation? sor and criminal justice analyst, and was man and Wong Ka-kui had been sentenced Given, moreover, its diplomatic presence tently or otherwise. Allowing their conscience to be previously the director of public prosecu- to prison terms of six, seven, and three and a in Hong Kong, Germany should have known But it takes willful blindness for compromised by their political tions of Hong Kong. half years respectively. Leung and Lo had been far better than to have opened its doors to anyone not to see that our pupils beliefs, many intelligent people, convicted after a jury trial in the in local fugitives. As its consul general, Dieter are being poisoned mentally in including the reporter who asked 2018, while Wong pleaded guilty. bail, over the objections of prosecutors, then Lamle, must appreciate, Hong Kong’s judi- schools — and our younger gen- Lam for proof of “poisoning At his fi rst trial, on May 28, 2018, Leung failed to appear for trial. They eventually ciary, buttressed by the Basic Law, is famed eration is being deliberately led minds”, pretend not to see young- was convicted of rioting in Argyle Street, surfaced in Germany in 2019, where they throughout Asia for its independence, pro- down the path to self-destruction. sters being brainwashed, intoxi- but acquitted of inciting a riot, with the jury had been granted asylum the previous year. fessionalism and competence. Everybody No other place in the world, cated and radicalized by political unable to reach a verdict on a charge of riot- Although the German authorities were charged with the Mong Kok riots received other than war zones, is witness- zealots pretending to be profes- ing in Portland Street. One of his co-defen- tight-lipped about their actions, they were a fair trials before juries, with some convicted ing so many of its youngsters sional educational workers. dants, Lam Lun-hing, was acquitted outright calculated insult to Hong Kong and its rule and others acquitted, and Lamle will hope- harboring unwarranted hatred They might have thought those of three riot charges, while the jury could not of law. They were presumably hoodwinked fully have explained all this to his superiors against their compatriots and are others’ children after all. But reach a decision on the riot charges faced by by the two cowards, who would rather run in Berlin. Indeed, according to the World country. No other place has wit- how can they feel comfortable Lee Nok-man and Lam Ngo-hin, although away than face justice. To their credit, Leung Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index 2020, nessed its young people repeat- when they know the chickens will Lam was acquitted of an unlawful assembly. and the other suspects attended their own Hong Kong’s global ranking was 16th out of edly torching public facilities and eventually come home to roost? When Leung was re-tried, the jury acquit- trials, and placed their fate in the hands of the 128 places surveyed, and even higher for vandalizing their hometown. No Political brainwashing, intoxica- ted him, on March 22, 2019, of the Portland the jury. Wong and Li, however, chose to criminal justice, where it came in at 14th. other place has so often seen its tion and radicalization do not Street riot. His co-defendants, Lam Ngo-hin run, an admission of guilt if ever there was Since they fl ed to Germany, Wong and Li young people waving fl ags of for- discriminate when it comes to and Lee Nok-man, were also acquitted of one, and then bleated away about not being have become familiar sights at anti-China mer colonists who once invaded victimizing the young. How can their rioting charges, while Yung Wai-ip was able to receive a fair trial, which, as anyone events, often appearing under the auspices their country, occupied their anyone be sure their children, convicted of three of the seven charges he familiar with our jury system can attest, was of the Green Party. When, for example, homeland and humiliated their grand-children, siblings or chil- faced. Quite clearly, the jury system worked a bare-faced lie. thanks to the UK’s Hong Kong Watch, stu- ancestors. dren of their loved ones will not well in both trials, and acquittals resulted On June 7, Wong sought to justify his fl ight dent activists from the “Hong Kong Higher All of these and other strange be the next victims? It is naive in the cases where the prosecution had not by making various specious claims, and Institutions International A¤ airs Delega- yet mind-boggling actions by our to think anyone will be the win- proved guilt beyond reasonable doubt. even placed reliance on the former governor, tion”, led by the City University’s cretinous young people are the fruits of ner in a society whose younger In the Court of Appeal, the chief judge of Chris Patten, a sure sign of desperation. In Joey Siu (of Tim Sebastian fame), visited years of brainwashing or intoxica- generation is being radicalized or the High Court, Jeremy Poon Shiu-chor, said one of his regular paroxysms, Patten, ever Germany in September, to meet some China tion in schools under the guise brainwashed by pernicious ideas. the trial judge had correctly imposed puni- the barrack-room lawyer, had claimed, in bashers at the Bundestag and malign Hong tive and deterrent sentences on Leung, Lo 2018, that the Public Order Ordinance (Cap Kong, Wong was again on hand. and Wong, whose riotous conduct had an 245), under which the rioters were charged, Although Wong and Li have obviously immediate and extremely serious impact on was in “direct contravention” of the Interna- pulled the wool over the eyes of the BAME, the rule of law. At trial, the evidence showed tional Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, things can still be put to rights. Any dispen- that the localist group, Hong Kong Indige- as applied in Hong Kong through the Basic sation obtained in such circumstances is nous, had fl ooded people into the area, after Law. On the back of this, Wong argued that null and void, and justice must now be done. Food and Environmental Hygiene o˜ cers “since we thought we could not have a fair As the German authorities will have seen, began a clearance operation against unli- trial, we had good reason to leave”. the pair’s co-defendants received fair trials, censed hawkers. Hundreds of protesters set What Patten, of course, had failed to point at which the full extent of the violence and fi res and threw bricks and wooden pallets at out was that anyone charged with a criminal injury was revealed, and they can now see Keeping the police, with over 80 o˜ cers injured. The o¤ ense can challenge its constitutionality how fl awed their decision was to grant them it safe rioting, which was premeditated, also saw before the courts. He also kept mum about safe haven. cars torched and public property damaged. the fact that, whenever the Public Order The Surrender of Fugitive O¤ enders Residents The trial judge, Anthea Pang Po-kam, Ordinance has been challenged in the Hong Agreement between Hong Kong and Ger- walk along described the conduct of the rioters as “orga- Kong Court of Final Appeal, which currently many took e¤ ect on April 11, 2009. It makes a pedestrian nized violence”, and, quite clearly, no society includes three former presidents of the UK provision for the return of criminal fugitives bridge in Tsuen Wan, with would tolerate such behavior. It was, by any Supreme Court, its legitimacy has been vali- between the two places, subject to certain large housing exceptions, none of which is applicable to yardstick, a very serious case of its type, and dated. He also failed to explain why, if he dis- blocks in the exemplary sentences were fully justifi ed. liked the riot o¤ ense so much, he did noth- Wong or Li. They stand accused of grave background. Indeed, Poon explained that “if public order ing about it during his governorship, when o¤ enses of violence, and they must not be Maintaining is not protected, the rights and freedoms of it was used against rioters in the Vietnamese allowed to evade their just deserts. Germany, good hygiene citizens will be lost”. refugee detention centers. therefore, must rectify the situation, and standards Although the gravity of the rioting was Quite why the German authorities fell revoke their refugee status. Nobody is above in densely blindingly obvious, as was the need to hold for the duo’s deception is anybody’s guess, the law, and these criminal fugitives must populated areas those responsible to account, it was blithely unless, of course, they bore animus toward be surrendered, so that justice can fi nally is crucial to ignored by Germany’s Federal O˜ ce for Hong Kong, which they have denied. They prevail. containing the virus. Migration and Refugees (BAME). Two of have, however, not only misunderstood the the accused rioters, Ray Wong Toi-yeung judicial situation, but also their international The views do not necessarily refl ect those of @RAYMONDCHAN1959/ and Alan Li Tung-sing, having been granted obligations. As the 1951 Refugee Convention China Daily. INSTAGRAM Hong Kong must remain proactive about globalization

he globalization of the economy blaming China for the COVID-19 outbreak and even decouple with it, Hong Kong as must help Hong Kong residents adjust their has progressed by leaps and and fanning anti-China sentiment and an inalienable part of China must adjust its mindset and outlook appropriately — with a bounds in the last 30 years of the racial prejudice against ethnic Chinese market position and approach to its cus- well-rounded plan for future development. 20th century due mainly to two people everywhere. Meanwhile, popu- tomers. To adjust its mindset and global outlook, pivotalT factors. One is the third techno- lism is gaining more ground in Western On the other hand, Hong Kong’s status Hong Kong has to abandon any inkling of industrial revolution, spearheaded by the countries. It has formed a venomous com- as an international free port will also alter. a desire to stay clear of China-US relations. explosive development of modern informa- bination with widespread hatred toward Although members of the World Trade Everyone who wants to reside and work in tion technology and related industries that Asians, particularly people of Chinese Zhou Bajun Organization failed to reach a consensus Hong Kong has to stand on China’s side. It gave birth to a global market based on the descent. Amid this dehumanizing back- The author is a senior research fellow of in the fi rst round of trade talks on liberal- will no doubt be an extremely tough deci- China Everbright Holdings. internet. In other words, the earth became pedaling, the US is showing its desire to izing multilateral trade (Doha Round), sion for American businesses and citizens one giant market. The other factor is a num- “decouple” with China more than ever. Hong Kong’s status as a free port was not based in Hong Kong, but the way China- ber of socialist economies, including China, If the COVID-19 pandemic causes a global otic leading fi gures from the pro-establish- adversely a¤ ected before the US launched US relations are changing leaves them started reforms and opening up to become a recession and countries around the world ment camp. Faced with mounting pressure its latest trade war against China and some no choice, unless they choose to leave the part of the global economy after copying the choose to focus on their national interests, from joint interference by the US and UK other countries, including some of its allies. HKSAR for good. Soviet model for decades with little success. reverse globalization attempts should be governments in Hong Kong, members of Today, the trade war has already impacted Those who are prepared always have a However, since the United States adjusted temporary. They will dissipate when the the pro-establishment camp connected to Hong Kong’s free port status. What is worse plan for the changing situation. The SAR its global strategy in 2018 and declared Chi- skies clear up and the economy recovers. the two Western powers will have to make is that the US government is poised to use government must join forces with the busi- na to be one of its main rivals, a tendency Unfortunately, the US is hell-bent on under- a very hard choice. Those who boast having the newly adopted “Hong Kong Human ness community and professionals in mak- to reverse the globalization of economies mining the great rejuvenation of the Chi- more infl uence will no doubt a¤ ect certain Rights and Democracy Act” to undermine ing plans to maintain the city’s status as an has been rising emphatically — especially nese nation and compromising the techno- political groups with their choice. The fun- Hong Kong as a free-trade hub. As the international fi nancial center and free-trade today, as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps industrial foundation and well-being of glo- damental divide between the two political global industrial and supply chain scram- hub, complete with a readjustment of its the world. The unprecedented progress of balization. This is why the trend of reverse camps in Hong Kong will be determined by bles to survive the COVID-19 pandemic position in the industrial and supply chain. globalization in the last 30 years of the 20th globalization will likely continue over the which side they choose to align with. however possible, especially in view of the Otherwise, it will be too late to act when century is being greatly undone by the US, next fi ve to 10 years or longer. China, there- The status of Hong Kong as an interna- temptation to stop relying on China, Hong crises occur. particularly when the world is plagued by fore, must deal with such adversities as best tional fi nancial center will undergo con- Kong not only has to deal with the negative Washington’s campaign to reverse glo- the current pandemic. it can. As a special administrative region of siderable adjustment. Hong Kong became impact of shrinking free trade on its free balization is centered around “alienating In an attempt to take away China’s lead China, Hong Kong must join forces with the an international fi nancial center in the port status, but also fi nd its position in the China” and maintaining the US hegemony. in 5G technology, Washington has gone all mainland more than ever in facing the chal- 1970s, thanks mainly to the Western world. global industrial and supply chain signifi - Hong Kong has no choice but to counteract out to strangle Huawei - one of the best lenges ahead. That status has grown stronger since the cantly changed as a result. this by stepping up the integration of its non-State-owned high-tech companies The political ecosystem of Hong Kong is 1980s due mainly to the country’s reform In the face of such a grim challenge, own development into the nation’s overall from China. It has also greatly weakened changing drastically. Anti-China and anti- and opening-up drive. As long as the US the SAR government and various sectors development strategy, especially deeper the techno-industrial foundation of eco- communist political forces have already treats China as a partner instead of a major of society will inevitably have to decide involvement in the Guangdong-Hong Kong- nomic globalization. Because the internet launched another wave of the “black revolu- competitor, Hong Kong as an international between a reactive or proactive response. Macao Greater Bay Area development. is being carved up by the US with such tion”. The US government may very well use fi nancial center will benefi t from the moth- Those who care about Hong Kong hope vengeance, the earth as one giant market the “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democ- erland’s reforms and opening-up. As the that the choice is a proactive response to The views do not necessarily refl ect those of is also broken. The US government is now racy Act” to impose sanctions against patri- US intensifi es its e¤ orts to contain China any change. To do so, the SAR government China Daily.