Letter: Hong Kong press still awake
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Letter: Hong Kong press still awake
Sir: Your leading article (29 March) about Hong Kong's "worrying week", faithfully reflecting the fashionable view, in London at least, concludes that it is "harder and harder to express any criticism of the new order". As it happens, last week provided a couple of pointers in exactly the opposite direction which may indicate that we haven't all sunk into the trance you ascribe to us.
There were two big political controversies here during the week - the appointment by the future Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, of a high-profile politician and surveyor to head his housing task force, and a comment by one of Mr Tung's advisers saying that the courts here were not empowered to take up the question of the legality of the provisional legislature.
On the first issue, Mr Tung ran into a barrage of criticism. As well as comment from politicians, there were a dozen editorials and columns pointing to the potential conflict of interest in the appointment, plus a batch of investigative stories on the surveyor's business record.
On the second, a wave of protest, which was fully reported in the press, culminated in Mr Tung himself saying that the courts were free to question anything.
It may be that most newspapers here are generally supportive of Mr Tung, but that does not mean they have given up their liberty. After all, I guess it may be harder than it once was to find criticism of the coming new order in Britain in the biggest-selling daily in the land.
JONATHAN FENBY
South China Morning Post
Hong Kong
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments