See this article in the Hong Kong Standard . The Hong Kong law society is saying that patriotic (in the Chinese Communist Party sense of the word) judges will not compromise judicial independence.
Please …..
We are years off China taking over and the law society has already capitulated without even an attempt to fight or debate the White Paper. They should change their name to Hong Kong White Elephant Without Tusks ( very suitable)
Thank god they don’t purport to represent the likes of us.
Law Society defends white paper on ‘patriotic’ judges
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Judicial independence will not be compromised if judges are required to be patriotic, the Law Society chairman claimed amid debates over Beijing’s white paper on Hong Kong.
The white paper does not affect the current status of Hong Kong and is based on the Basic Law, Ambrose Lam San-keung said, adding: “The paper also says five times that Hong Kong can enjoy judicial independence and final adjudication.’
As such, he does not share the Hong Kong Bar Association’s worries over the white paper’s inclusion of judges as “administrators” of the SAR.
“Also, there is no definition of patriotism because it is a feeling within people, and there is no mechanism to judge if a person is patriotic or not.”
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He said the answer needs to be sorted out by the local and central governments.
The white paper helps clarify the relationship between the two, Lam said. “There is no new concept in it.”
He said judicial independence and final adjudication are mentioned a number of times, showing Beijing’s resolve over “one country, two systems.”
Lam said the white paper is not a legal document, but “a very important political document and a work report” that requires a “correct attitude” in reading.
Lam also backed education chief Eddie Ng Hak-kim on his earlier remarks asking teenagers not to take part in Occupy Central: “Despite the criticism of Ng, our society fully supports Ng as he showed his commitment.”
A criminal record would affect the future of students, Lam said.
“If a teenager wants to be a barrister, solicitor, accountant or join any other profession, the criminal record will be considered,” he said.
It could also negatively affect future applications for overseas study or immigration.
“We don’t intend to create white terror, but we have the responsibility to inform teenagers of the consequences.”
Civic Party lawmaker Dennis Kwok Wing-hang urged Lam to safeguard “one country two systems,” “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” and a high degree of autonomy.
Business associations voicing support for the white paper included the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Chinese Manufacturers’ Association.
