Dispatches from the State Ministry of Truth

[Monoriu]

The Hong Kong Leader's Daughter Bragged About Her Fabulous Taxpayer-Funded Life On Social Media

A Facebook account linked to Chai Yan Leung, the daughter of Hong Kong's leader, CY Leung, disappeared during the past 24 hours after a post about her "beautiful shoes and dresses and clutches" angered protesters who are calling for her father's ouster.

However, the Facebook page wasn't the only social media account linked to Leung that documented her high-fashion shopping sprees. An Instagram account in Leung's name remains online and features pictures of her custom-made bags, designer shoes, and trips around the world.

On Tuesday, Leung's Facebook page made news again after she wrote a note that was apparently a response to negative comments about a necklace that appeared in her profile photo.

"This is actually a beautiful necklace bought at Lane Crawford (yes- funded by all you HK taxpayers!! So are all my beautiful shoes and dresses and clutches!! Thank you so much!!!!) Actually maybe I shouldn't say 'all you'- since most of you here are probably unemployed hence have all this time obsessed with bombarding me with messages," the note said.

The note also included shots at Leung's critics for their intelligence and ability to speak English. View the full post below:



After the Facebook post made headlines, the page was removed. However, an Instagram account that linked to Leung's Facebook and contains many pictures that appear to show her remains active. It also includes photos that seem to show her bags, shoes, and other purchases.

Check out photos from the Instagram account below.

Leung, who was 22 as of earlier this year, apparently enjoys monogrammed purses.

Here's more of the tweets and posts:

http://www.businessinsider.com/daughter-of-hong-kong-leader-facebook-posts-2014-10

I really hope she and her family follow the footsteps of another stupid bitch who once told "protesters" to eat cake.

I don't get why you guys make such a big deal out of this.  It is reported in HK as well, but nobody takes it seriously.  She is entitled to her opinion, and she is just a 22 year old citizen like many others.  Her father has no control what his young daughter says on Facebook. 

[CountDeMoney]

And Mono is precisely the reason why cultural relativism still gets so much traction in political science. 

[Monoriu]

Supporters urge Occupy protesters to unite amid mixed messages over talks

09 Oct 2014

Pro-democracy groups were urged yesterday to form an alliance to better press their claims as a dispute threatened to derail talks with top officials scheduled for tomorrow.

Protesters also came under pressure from the Bar Association. The regulatory body for barristers, which last week said the police decision to used tear gas to clear the streets of Admiralty on September 28 was "excessive", warned protesters that civil disobedience did not constitute a defence to a criminal charge.

"Even on a sympathetic view of civil disobedience, it is essential for participants to respect the rights and freedoms of other people who do not necessarily agree with their views and not to cause excessive damage or inconvenience," it said in a statement.

Preparations for the dialogue between Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and student representatives appeared to take a step backwards as the two sides squabbled over the agenda.

Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun said the civil disobedience movement belonged to all Hong Kong people. Photo: Sam Tsang

The government said the Federation of Students' representatives agreed on Tuesday that constitutional development under the Basic Law would be on the agenda for the first round of talks.

But the federation's deputy secretary-general, Lester Shum, said the demand for the government to respond to Hongkongers' aspirations for democracy should be the "sole agenda".

A government source said there was only a slim chance of the meeting taking place tomorrow as "agenda and logistics ... had not been sorted out".

The source also said officials were worried that a call by student activist group Scholarism for an occupation of Admiralty tomorrow to support student representatives at the meeting would "effectively spur occupation activities".

The dispute came amid signs of the city returning to normal. Kindergartens in Wan Chai and Central and Western districts will resume classes today.

The protests have been marred by lack of leadership.

Apple Daily boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying said key leaders of the protests were considering forming a single body to handle the rest of the campaign, which he said could "end the movement much faster and in a better way".

Writing on his blog yesterday, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun said the civil disobedience movement belonged to all Hong Kong people and he disputed the idea that students should take the lead.

The religious leader wrote: "Whether protesters should withdraw should be decided by an authoritative and representative alliance. [This] alliance should be responsible for negotiating with the government."

The Federation of Students, an umbrella group of tertiary student unions, has been playing a leading role in the protests, while co-founders of the Occupy Central movement have taken a back seat since declaring the launch of the campaign on September 28.

It was reported earlier that Occupy Central leaders had suggested retreating from protest sites, but the idea was opposed by the federation.

In an effort to put up a united front, the two groups said in a joint statement yesterday that they had maintained close co-operation. "Without any practical results coming from the Occupy movement, we hope students and citizens will choose to stay. We understand the cardinal's kind reminder and thank him for his concern for the students' personal safety."

Hunger striker Benny Mok Siu-man urged the organisers to form a committee to set priorities. "[The organisers] are afraid of being criticised for dominating the campaign. But I think they have overreacted."

He said that a committee of representatives from different groups would help move the campaign forward.

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1612399/unite-break-impasse-protesters-urged
(may require registration.  Not sure)

[Monoriu]

Hong Kong in crisis: Does former colonial ruler have any responsibility?


By Tim Summers, Special for CNN

October 8, 2014 -- Updated 0300 GMT (1100 HKT)

Editor's note: Tim Summers is a senior consulting fellow on the Asia program at Chatham House. He lives in Hong Kong and teaches at the Centre for China Studies at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He is the author of a recent Chatham House paper, China's Global Personality. The views expressed here are solely those of the author.

London (CNN) -- The world has been watching events unfold in Hong Kong in recent weeks, after tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters took to the streets to occupy key locations in the heart of this financial hub.

Much of the international reaction has been supportive of the protesters' aims. Foreign governments, meanwhile, have been working out what to say publicly.

They should comment. Hong Kong is a global city, whose political development has wider implications, not least for international economic and commercial interests in Asia and beyond.

But comments by some politicians and media commentators in recent weeks demonstrated a worrying lack of understanding of the relevant historical agreements and Hong Kong's status as a Chinese territory -- albeit with significant autonomy. This is unhelpful to the rebuilding of trust that is needed if any progress is to be made in Hong Kong.

For the UK, as the former colonial power until it handed control to China in 1997, the diplomatic challenges presented by the protests are that much sharper. The shadow of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration hangs over policy makers -- this is the agreement under which Hong Kong maintains its own system as part of China, a "one country, two systems" concept fleshed out in the Chinese Basic Law of 1990, Hong Kong's mini constitution.

The protests were fueled by dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong government, but the catalyst was the August 31 decision of China's national legislature -- the National People's Congress Standing Committee -- on Hong Kong's constitutional development.

'We are fighting for our future'
The key issue of contention is not whether Hong Kong people should have a say in the choice of their next chief executive (head of government) in 2017 -- Beijing has already agreed to allow a popular vote. The controversy is over how candidates should be nominated.

READ: Protests shrinking, frustration rising

The central authorities see a role for themselves as being in line with the Basic Law, one of the few manifestations of "one country" when it comes to a political structure which is otherwise formed locally in Hong Kong. As a result, the August 31 decision provides for a 1,200-strong nominating committee, half of whose members must approve candidates to appear on the subsequent popular ballot. The committee's constitution means that it is a broadly pro-establishment body, and this is where Beijing (and Hong Kong's elites) can effectively screen out candidates.

Divided city

Views in Hong Kong are divided. But a sizable proportion of people want more, effectively demanding greater autonomy by rejecting any way for Beijing to influence nominations, or by seeking to dilute the nominating committee's role. These aspirations are understandable given the nature of Hong Kong society and a desire for better governance.

READ: Who's who in the Hong Kong protests?

The problem is that they are not easily attainable within the framework of the Basic Law. Without compromise, Hong Kong could be facing something of a constitutional crisis.

How does this debate match up to those historical agreements?

Contrary to what some are saying, the proposals on the table do not contravene what was agreed between China and the UK. All the Joint Declaration said is that the chief executive will be "appointed by the central people's government on the basis of the results of elections or consultations to be held locally [in Hong Kong]." Britain's role as co-signatory of that agreement gives it no legal basis for complaint on this particular point, and the lack of democracy for the executive branch before 1997 leaves it little moral high ground either.

It is the Basic Law that introduces "the ultimate aim [of] the selection of the chief executive by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures." This is the basis for what is on offer from Beijing today. China didn't promise anything different.

READ: Hong Kong's 'unloved' leader

Comment by politicians and the media should not distort these historical agreements, which are the foundation for Hong Kong's status as a sub-national region with a high degree of autonomy, not a country or sovereign territory.

Post-colonial guilt

Perhaps part of the issue for some in the UK is an underlying feeling of post-colonial guilt, the idea that the British government didn't put proper protection in place for the people of Hong Kong.

But as the demonstrations have once again showed, Hong Kong people are quite capable of standing up for themselves. The idea -- which some in Hong Kong encourage -- that the UK is somehow still responsible for their wellbeing sounds outdated.

Furthermore, we should not forget the substantial achievements in the UK's negotiations with China over the future of Hong Kong. To engineer a smooth transition of sovereignty in 1997, followed by the maintenance of Hong Kong's legal, judicial, financial, social and economic systems, was no small achievement. It has provided the basis for a vibrant and passionate society in Hong Kong. Implementation was never going to be easy, but "one country two systems" remains the best option by far.

Those outside Hong Kong have a legitimate right to comment. But they also have a responsibility to base those comments on accurate and historically-informed analysis of the complex and emotive issues currently disputed in Hong Kong.

[Monoriu]

Small businesses have filed civil suits against the rioters for damages.  I don't think they'll succeed in getting much, if any, in damages.  But the point is, if enough small businesses file claims, they'll be flooded with a sea of legal documents and it is tiring to just respond to them all.  If each and every member in the Chambers of Commerce file suits, just the legal costs of defending themselves can be great.  The businesses can afford to hire lawyers; the rioters and students can't.

[DGuller]

Small businesses have filed civil suits against the rioters for damages.  I don't think they'll succeed in getting much, if any, in damages.  But the point is, if enough small businesses file claims, they'll be flooded with a sea of legal documents and it is tiring to just respond to them all.  If each and every member in the Chambers of Commerce file suits, just the legal costs of defending themselves can be great.  The businesses can afford to hire lawyers; the rioters and students can't.

I'm suddenly fill with hope for Hong Kong.  Abusing the frictional costs of the legal system to kick the little guy is the American way. 

[Valmy]

The land of the free and home of the brave

[Monoriu]

Small businesses have filed civil suits against the rioters for damages.  I don't think they'll succeed in getting much, if any, in damages.  But the point is, if enough small businesses file claims, they'll be flooded with a sea of legal documents and it is tiring to just respond to them all.  If each and every member in the Chambers of Commerce file suits, just the legal costs of defending themselves can be great.  The businesses can afford to hire lawyers; the rioters and students can't.

I'm suddenly fill with hope for Hong Kong.  Abusing the frictional costs of the legal system to kick the little guy is the American way. 

Who is the little guy here, and who is the bully?  The people who block roads are the bullies, and the little guys are the helpless businesses who face hardship

[Valmy]

Who is the little guy here, and who is the bully?  The people who block roads are the bullies, and the little guys are the helpless businesses who face hardship

Question: if the protestors had a chance of success would you feel differently about their efforts?  I guess for some reason I thought you were making the very reasonable point that they were causing all these problems and achieving counter-productive results even if they basically had good aims.

[DGuller]

Who is the little guy here, and who is the bully?  The people who block roads are the bullies, and the little guys are the helpless businesses who face hardship

Mono, your schtick doesn't carry over well in serious threads.

[Jacob]

Who is the little guy here, and who is the bully?  The people who block roads are the bullies, and the little guys are the helpless businesses who face hardship

[Monoriu]

Who is the little guy here, and who is the bully?  The people who block roads are the bullies, and the little guys are the helpless businesses who face hardship

Question: if the protestors had a chance of success would you feel differently about their efforts?  I guess for some reason I thought you were making the very reasonable point that they were causing all these problems and achieving counter-productive results even if they basically had good aims.

I am adamently against blocking roads as a matter of principle. 

[crazy canuck]

Who is the little guy here, and who is the bully?  The people who block roads are the bullies, and the little guys are the helpless businesses who face hardship

He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.

[Valmy]

I am adamently against blocking roads as a matter of principle. 

Man you are really attacking my most sacred beliefs and heroes here Mono

[Martinus]

Thank you.  I take defending fundamental rights fairly seriously - despite what Berkut might assert.

Berkut never accused you of being opposed to rights - only liberties. These are similar but different concepts.