LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 29 June 2017 10797 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 29 June 2017 The Council continued to meet at Nine o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, G.B.S., J.P. PROF THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS REGINA IP LAU SUK-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE PAUL TSE WAI-CHUN, J.P. 10798 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 29 June 2017 THE HONOURABLE CLAUDIA MO THE HONOURABLE MICHAEL TIEN PUK-SUN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE STEVEN HO CHUN-YIN, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE FRANKIE YICK CHI-MING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE WU CHI-WAI, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YIU SI-WING, B.B.S. THE HONOURABLE MA FUNG-KWOK, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHARLES PETER MOK, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHI-CHUEN THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAN-PAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG CHE-CHEUNG, B.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LEUNG THE HONOURABLE ALICE MAK MEI-KUEN, B.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE KWOK WAI-KEUNG THE HONOURABLE DENNIS KWOK WING-HANG THE HONOURABLE CHRISTOPHER CHEUNG WAH-FUNG, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE FERNANDO CHEUNG CHIU-HUNG DR THE HONOURABLE HELENA WONG PIK-WAN THE HONOURABLE IP KIN-YUEN DR THE HONOURABLE ELIZABETH QUAT, J.P. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 29 June 2017 10799 THE HONOURABLE MARTIN LIAO CHEUNG-KONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE POON SIU-PING, B.B.S., M.H. DR THE HONOURABLE CHIANG LAI-WAN, J.P. IR DR THE HONOURABLE LO WAI-KWOK, S.B.S., M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHUNG KWOK-PAN THE HONOURABLE ALVIN YEUNG THE HONOURABLE ANDREW WAN SIU-KIN THE HONOURABLE CHU HOI-DICK THE HONOURABLE JIMMY NG WING-KA, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE JUNIUS HO KWAN-YIU, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HO KAI-MING THE HONOURABLE LAM CHEUK-TING THE HONOURABLE HOLDEN CHOW HO-DING THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-FAI THE HONOURABLE SHIU KA-CHUN THE HONOURABLE WILSON OR CHONG-SHING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE YUNG HOI-YAN DR THE HONOURABLE PIERRE CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHAN CHUN-YING 10800 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 29 June 2017 THE HONOURABLE TANYA CHAN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-KWAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE HUI CHI-FUNG THE HONOURABLE LUK CHUNG-HUNG THE HONOURABLE LAU KWOK-FAN, M.H. DR THE HONOURABLE CHENG CHUNG-TAI THE HONOURABLE KWONG CHUN-YU THE HONOURABLE JEREMY TAM MAN-HO DR THE HONOURABLE YIU CHUNG-YIM# DR THE HONOURABLE LAU SIU-LAI# MEMBERS ABSENT: THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KWOK-HUNG# DR THE HONOURABLE KWOK KA-KI THE HONOURABLE KENNETH LAU IP-KEUNG, M.H., J.P. THE HONOURABLE NATHAN LAW KWUN-CHUNG# # According to the Judgment of the Court of First Instance of the High Court on 14 July 2017, LEUNG Kwok-hung, Nathan LAW Kwun-chung, YIU Chung-yim and LAU Siu-lai have been disqualified from assuming the office of a member of the Legislative Council, and have vacated the same since 12 October 2016, and are not entitled to act as a member of the Legislative Council. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 29 June 2017 10801 PUBLIC OFFICERS ATTENDING: PROF SOPHIA CHAN SIU-CHEE, J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR FOOD AND HEALTH MR JAMES HENRY LAU JR., J.P. UNDER SECRETARY FOR FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE TREASURY CLERKS IN ATTENDANCE: MS ANITA SIT, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MISS FLORA TAI YIN-PING, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MS DORA WAI, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL MR MATTHEW LOO, ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL 10802 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 29 June 2017 MEMBERS' MOTIONS PRESIDENT (in Cantonese): Good morning. This Council will continue to debate the motion on "Facing up to the aspirations of the people participating in the 1 July march". Mr LAM Cheuk-ting, please speak. FACING UP TO THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THE 1 JULY MARCH Continuation of debate on motion which was moved on 28 June 2017 MR LAM CHEUK-TING (in Cantonese): President, first of all, I would like to thank Mr Andrew WAN for moving a motion on "Facing up to the aspirations of the people participating in the 1 July march". Yesterday, many Members already put forward their arguments and aspirations for democratic universal suffrage, anti-corruption and catching CY. Today, in view of the human rights situation in China, I call upon members of the public to join the 1 July march, so as to express to the State President and State leaders our deep concerns about and strong dissatisfaction with the human rights situation in China. President, many people know that I once worked with the Independent Commission Against Corruption ("ICAC"). They asked me why I resigned and became the chief executive of the Democratic Party. Here is one of the reasons. When I watched the live television broadcast of awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to LIU Xiaobo in the ICAC quarter, I was emotionally aroused by the "empty chair". I kept asking myself whether I should continue to work in ICAC and lead an amiable and stable life. Now that the political environment in Hong Kong is relatively stable, can I do something for the country, for human rights in China and for democracy in Hong Kong? I finally decided to leave ICAC and engage in politics. I am asked by many people in what ways human rights in China are related to Hong Kong. Let me tell members of the general public, Hong Kong and the Mainland are inseparable due to geographical, economic and cultural factors. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 29 June 2017 10803 All Hong Kong people are members of the Chinese nation. We are of the same blood and we cannot bear to see compatriots being persecuted, and we cannot bear to see the continuous deterioration of the human rights situation in the Mainland. Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Mr LIU Xiaobo, has sacrificed his freedom, family and health to strive for democracy in China. He is now suffering from terminal liver cancer and the Chinese Government has approved his application for medical parole. Some said that the Chinese Government has accorded lenient treatment; I am sorry, if that is lenient treatment, I could only say that the Chinese Government is more lenient than the North Korean Government as the North Korean Government, after causing brain stem death of a young American, finally released him back to the United States in a vegetative state. Can this be considered as lenient treatment? Is LIU Xiaobo really free? Sorry, he cannot enjoy freedom of action, freedom of speech and freedom of political thought; he has only been transferred from a small prison to a large prison. I request the Central Government to allow LIU Xiaobo and his family members to go abroad as soon as possible, so that LIU Xiaobo can enjoy the precious free air in his remaining days. In 2009, LIU Xiaobo published an article entitled "I have no enemies" before he was imprisoned again. In the face of the Communist Party of China ("CPC") regime which has been suppressing him, LIU Xiaobo managed to say in a broad-minded manner that "I have no enemies", but the CPC regime have conversely created enemies incessantly. Regarding the human rights problems in China, the case of LIU Xiaobo only represents the tip of the iceberg. Over the years, numerous famous and nameless democrats have sacrificed health, family and freedom in their fight for democracy and human rights in China. Mr LI Wangyang, Mr TANG Jingling, Mr HU Jia and numerous martyrs and men of high aspirations have continually fought for a wonderful China. Since the Central Government often talks about the rise of China as a strong and prosperous nation, why is China afraid of these dissidents? Why put lawyers, members of the media and even parents pursuing accountability for milk powder causing big-headed babies behind bars? President, China today is definitely not strong and prosperous. LIU Xiaobo is an important symbol of a rebellious force and the pillar of freedom and democracy. We request the Central Government to release democracy and human rights activists, lawyers and outspoken reporters. 10804 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ― 29 June 2017 President, I would like to talk about a British movie In the Name of the Father. It is about a father and his son who were framed by the British police for involvement in the Irish Republican Army bombing and sentenced to long-term imprisonment. The imprisoned father encouraged his son, saying, "All they done was block out the light. But they can't block out the light in here". He accused the British Government of blocking out the light but he stressed that they could absolutely not block out the light in their minds. President, the light will always defeat darkness, justice will always prevail over evil and democracy will always prevail over dictatorship. I so submit. I call upon all Hong Kong people to participate in the 1 July march to defend Hong Kong and fight for democracy and freedom in China.