大陸有進步過?

http://appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple/art_main.cfm?iss_id=20080726&sec_id=4104&subsec_id=11866&art_id=11394952

先有生果報記者被人沒收回鄉證
後有明報記者被公安強取記憶卡
不是我馬後炮，我早已猜到大陸不會這麼容易放權
陶傑早前也公開「睇死」大陸
現在也真的猜中了，我應該高興嗎?

大陸有進步過嗎? 也許吧
不過是打壓的手段越來越好罷了。

香港又成國際大笑話

話說京奧so-called「聖火」在大陸so-called「國土」第一站香港傳遞前一個月, 當時有特區政府官員信旦旦表示特區政府沒有為有關的異見人士設立入境黑名單. 結果之後入境署親目以行動自打嘴巴:

4月26日, 國殤之柱創作人高志活及兩名兒子乘飛機抵港後，即時被入境處扣留近6小時被 幾 名 持 機 槍 的 機 場 特 警 押 送 上 機 ， 強 迫 乘 航 機 飛 往 英 國 倫 敦
4月29日, 自由西藏學生運動核心成員Matt Whitticase、Kate Woznow及Tsering Lama
獨立中文筆會成員張裕


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djH33F2Pb94
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv3ilRUJ1AE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9glI5N7Yj4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya3i9XvR-hA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owdIXME21rY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjTMxWNDV3A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m43sNzR5Kmw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9yhrVYPXZk


包括特首在內的一眾特區(傀儡)政府久不久就到外國宣傳香港，可是這回傀儡政府卻親自向全世界宣佈：香港不是甚麼「Asia's world city」，而是大陸眾多城市之一。依我看，既然香港的形象已變得一文不值，香港的so-called旅遊業還值得繼續宣傳下去嗎？不如把旅發局這大花筒早早折掉算吧。

左共再度借香港人過橋

http://www.news.gov.hk/tc/category/healthandcommunity/080408/html/080408tc05007.htm

民政事務局局長曾德成表示，香港人普遍非常支持奧運，相信在社會及輿論的支持下，精心策劃的火炬接力能順利進行。

曾德成今天出席保良局董事會就職典禮後向傳媒表示，奧運聖火在海外傳送時受到干擾，主要是關於藏獨及不理解情況的人士；並認為，香港人並不支持藏獨，也非常支持奧運。

首先我補充一點：包括蘋果日報在內，各大香港報章在轉述曾德成的說話時，都是「香港人普遍支持奧運」，但我收看電視的新聞報導時，曾德成指「香港人都好支持奧運」.......

香港人都好支持大陸舉行奧運?曾德成真的有自信代表全港所有真真正正的香港人?

最少我這位香港人並不支持一個言而無信，將申奧時的承諾拋一邊的無恥國家舉辦奧運。

而且就連我那位親共的老爸也反京奧，「香港人都好支持奧運」又從何說起?

曾德成，你願意為被你所騎劫的香港人公開道歉嗎?

冷靜、冷靜......

不要問我以下短文是怎樣來的
我到現在才能稍為能冷靜應對......


原來一句"叫日本檢討歷史之前，請檢討自己ge歷史先"，結果我做咗日本人
因為他是愛中，所以他一切都是對的
有人呢頭叫人唔好起槓，轉頭自己就起哂槓
只因自己厭惡大陸，所以人家如何起槓都是對的，我出句聲都是錯的

可沒有我又如何呢？又賴大紀元嗎？
沒有大紀元，又賴什麼？
大陸媒體報錯新聞？示威人群被人洗腦？相是合成相？還是像程翔一樣，在「唱衰祖國」？

以前，我因為這些「催化劑」而變得討厭大陸
今日，這種人令我更確信我反共反大陸的立場是正確的
只不過，這種偽港人兼偽愛國人士的出現
不但是香港的悲哀，更是大陸的悲哀

港成產子中心 背負全國罵名

這篇報導實在令我無名火起！

港成產子中心 背負全國罵名
(明報) 01月 21日 星期日 05:05AM

【明報專訊】上周，京港兩地不約而同都宣布了對孕產婦的一些新安排，兩地出現問題的成因有相同有不同，但後果卻是南轅北轍。兩地同樣會吸引全國各地孕產婦來產子而成為「醫療服務中心」的常態，但香港的不單很可能為自身帶來無窮的問題，還成為全國討厭的對象。

內地來港產子數量日增，有內地造成的因素，一是超生罰款費用高於香港的醫院收費，即使香港加價以後，還是要10多萬元（各地不一樣）比4萬元的差距，所以加價並不一定能夠嚇退孕產婦；二是內地領取准生證手續繁複，一名在北京工作的女律師，由於丈夫在廣州工作，而兩人的戶口所在地與工作地點不一樣，辦起手續來十分麻煩，到香港7天便可以辦齊「三證」（出世紙、回鄉證和回港證），花得起幾萬元買個效率的人，內地多的是。

北京歷來是產子中心，因為醫療條件較好，吸引周邊地區的孕產婦光顧，據說在北京產子的有近半不是北京人。今年又逢產「金豬寶寶」的好年頭，預測有10萬孕產婦湧到醫院產子，一些醫院早上8點就派完籌，北京市衛生局上周宣布，將會調整醫院分流生育高峰，措施是勸孕產婦到非專科醫院產子。問題不算嚴重，關鍵是在北京產子並不能自動取得北京市戶籍。

北京絕不為此釋法

而香港最吸引人的地方在孩子在香港出生可以取得戶籍，今後教育、福利都得到保證，而且還可以父母憑子貴，連帶得到福利。一名北京官員私下表示，香港的莊豐源案例是香港的死穴，但北京是絕對不會冒天下之大不韙為香港釋法，更不會冒國際人權組織攻擊而為香港堵截，差點就沒有把「咎由自取」這句話說出來。

地方政府須支付超生兒福利

這些都是牽涉到憲法層面的大問題，如何解決，誰也沒有方案，但後果是嚴重的，今後如何為教育與福利費用埋單不說，對內地所造成的後果也是嚴重的。因為內地有一套完整的限制生育政策，現在香港成了超生游擊隊「鑽全國法規空子基地」，內地孕產婦到香港產子，超生而毋須罰款，但今後該孩子在內地的教育與福利成本則要內地各省市來承擔，香港背負這樣一個惡名，中央不知要花多少力氣才能壓住各省市對香港的怨氣。

香港回歸，全國人民曾以極大的熱情迎接，但到頭來到香港旅遊處處受騙，官員正在埋怨中央給予香港太多優惠，現在又增添一個新麻煩，要全國各地來埋單，即使不叫香港賠償，今後特首到內地談融合，孕婦問題再成為飯桌上的話題，也夠香港尷尬的了。

明報駐京記者 阮紀宏


北京官員將內地孕產來港產子問題歸咎於莊豐源案。可基本法剛起草時已經有香港的法律專業人士提出，基本法第二十四條這樣寫會為九七後香港制造極大麻煩。但，當年的北京官員有理會過嗎？

另外，是哪些人由97年開始不斷推大陸人來港？現在更有「自由行」這個好藉口了。
我們香港人仲未講那班大陸喱如何侵蝕香港人的資源，「上面」那些老X就掉轉鎗頭怨我們?

有功盡歸大陸中共及其爪牙，有事就全香港人負責，難道這才是大陸中共真正的治港思維？
既然香港 (人) 同大陸已經如此失去互信，那不如一拍兩散算了。

一起回想10年浩劫吧

今 年 是 香 港 回 歸 10 周 年 ， 回 想 97 年 7 月 1 日 至 今 的 日 子 ， 你 感 到 是 苦 是 甜 ？ 有 網民 搶 先 製 成 「 香 港 特 別 衰 行 政 區 十 年 壞 事 回 顧 」 網 站 ， 回 顧 10 年 大 事 ， 不 少 記 憶猶 新 ， 看 後 真 是 百 般 滋 味 在 心 頭 。
這 個 相 信 是 近 日 才 面 世 的 網 站 列 出 29 件 大 事 供 人 參 考 ， 第 一 位 是 「 無 能 之 董 建 華出 任 首 位 行 政 長 官 」 ， 第 二 位 就 是 令 全 城 痛 恨 的 「 八 萬 五 」 政 策 ， 接 是 齋 吹 水 無下 文 的 「 中 藥 港 」 計 劃 ， 老 董 另 一 傑 作 數 碼 港 自 然 不 能 漏 了 。
網 站 認 為 「 胡 仙 案 」 是 十 年 大 事 之 一 ， 但 無 正 面 提 及 釋 法 事 件 ， 代 之 是 居 港 權 問 題， 兩 名 已 落 台 官 員 前 財 政 司 司 長 梁 錦 松 及 前 保 安 局 局 長 葉 劉 淑 儀 也 榜 上 有 名 。
最 後 一 項 大 事 是 內 地 孕 婦 來 港 產 子 問 題 ， 相 信 這 問 題 對 香 港 影 響 也 很 深 遠 。


香港特別衰行政區十年壞事回顧網址︰
http://home.kimo.com.tw/rubbish_hkgov/

心涼......

http://210.177.167.10/cgi-bin/nsrch.cgi?seq=601946

我的心真係涼了一大截


同場加映：真‧香港人 VS 港產土共走狗
http://www16.discuss.com.hk/viewthread.php?tid=3075809&extra=&page=10

傷人全無歉疚 還說世界不黑不白 大陸新移民咬斷人拇指囚21月

再一次證明大陸喱的低質素不是多讀點「番書」便能改變的。
看着不少劣質大陸人口以專才身分來港，香港的未來一定會......



http://appledaily.atnext.com/template/apple/art_main.cfm?iss_id=20061223&sec_id=4104&subsec_id=12731&art_id=6649201



【本 報 訊 】 擁 有 碩 士 學 位 的 大 陸 新 移 民 ， 因 不 肯 在 巴 士 上 摺 起 嬰 兒 車 ， 跟 女 車 長 爭 執， 不 僅 推 倒 女 車 長 ， 更 將 上 前 勸 阻 的 男 乘 客 拇 指 咬 斷 一 截 ， 區 域 法 院 暫 委 法 官 嚴 舜儀 昨 認 為 受 過 高 深 教 育 的 被 告 難 適 應 新 移 民 身 份 問 題 ， 巴 士 上 遭 遇 喚 起 了 他 一 直 抑 壓 的 情 緒 及 壓 力 ， 惟 他 至 今 仍 毫 無 悔 意 ， 判 其 入 獄 21 個 月 ， 其 間 須 接 受 心 理 治 療 。
35 歲 的 被 告 武 鵬 對 於 判 刑 並 沒 有 太 大 反 應 ， 反 而 其 妻 子 雙 眼 通 紅 ， 趕 緊 在 丈 夫 步 進 羈 留 室 前 ， 緊 捉 着 丈 夫 的 手 飲 泣 ， 要 懲 教 人 員 勸 阻 才 放 手 ， 被 告 吐 下 一 句 「 這 個 世 界 真 是 不 黑 不 白 」 ， 才 步 進 羈 留 室 。


稱 受 歧 視 買 鹹 蛋 都 貴 5 角
根據 心 理 報 告 ， 被 告 處 理 人 際 衝 突 能 力 不 足 ， 需 要 接 受 心 理 輔 導 ； 被 告 對 於 犯 案 有 其一 番 見 解 ， 他 透 過 辯 方 大 律 師 陸 偉 雄 解 釋 ， 由 於 他 是 新 移 民 ， 女 車 長 才 這 樣 待 他 ，加 上 事 發 當 日 ， 他 須 在 安 頓 好 一 歲 兒 子 後 ， 趕 往 見 工 ， 但 遭 男 乘 客 阻 撓 ， 故 當 時 認為 「 咬 手 指 」 是 唯 一 的 解 決 方 法 。
被 告 在 大 連 出 生 ， 曾 留 學 日 本 ， 擁 有 經 濟學 碩 士 學 位 ， 因 港 人 妻 子 要 求 回 港 定 居 才 來 港 ； 大 律 師 指 ， 被 告 自 05 年 10 月 來 港定 居 後 一 直 找 不 到 工 作 ， 遂 當 上 住 家 男 人 ， 令 他 自 覺 學 無 所 用 ， 感 到 挫 敗 ， 他 又 不諳 廣 東 話 ， 鄰 居 待 他 不 友 善 ， 令 他 感 覺 飽 受 歧 視 。 辯 方 又 舉 例 說 ， 被 告 往 街 市 買 鹹蛋 ， 本 地 人 1.5 元 一 隻 ， 他 卻 要 花 2 元 才 買 得 到 。


官 斥 被 告 將 錯 失 歸 咎 社 會


法 官 指 明 白 被 告 屬 高 級 知 識 分 子 ， 因 尊 嚴 而 放 不 下 身 段 ， 惟 報 告 反 映 出 被 告 夫 婦 對男 乘 客 拇 指 斷 掉 從 無 歉 疚 ， 更 說 成 是 環 境 及 社 會 造 成 ， 兩 人 只 是 五 十 步 笑 百 步 ， 再者 車 長 勸 喻 乘 客 收 好 嬰 兒 車 的 情 況 亦 時 有 發 生 。
事 發 於 今 年 5 月 26 日 ， 被 告 於 上 水 太 平 攜 子 登 上 一 部 273A 路 線 九 巴 ， 初 不 聽 女 車 長 王 嫦 玲 （ 45 歲 ） 及 男 乘 客 李 鏡 泉 （ 58 歲 ） 勸 喻 摺 起 嬰 兒 車 ， 惟 見 女 車 長 不 肯 開 車 ， 遂 抱 起 兒 子 收 好 嬰 兒 車 。 行 車 期間 ， 被 告 跟 李 發 生 衝 突 ， 又 再 度 打 開 嬰 兒 車 ， 將 兒 子 放 在 車 上 ， 女 車 長 停 車 報 警 ，被 告 欲 跟 其 他 乘 客 轉 乘 另 一 輛 巴 士 ， 遭 王 阻 截 ， 被 告 兩 度 將 她 摔 跌 ， 又 用 手 捉 着 李 ， 咬 斷 李 的 拇 指 指 尖 ， 斷 指 無 法 駁 回 。
案 件 編 號 ： DCCC605/06

死不足惜

http://210.177.167.10/cgi-bin/nsrch.cgi?seq=600080

1.這人的行為與港奸無異。
2.他不配做香港人。
3.明知北上=送死仍要冒險，結果不但損失財物還被「破相」。這是他咎由自取，不值得可憐。

Another carcinogenic toxin found in Hong Kong fish

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061208/hl_afp/hongkonghealthfoodfish_061208100641

Another carcinogenic toxin found in Hong Kong fish Fri Dec 8, 5:06 AM ET



HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong shoppers were on alert following the discovery of another cancer-causing toxin in fish, the latest in a string of food-related health scares in the territory.

The government said Friday that tests on samples of saltwater fish sold in Hong Kong's markets had traced small amounts of the banned antibiotic nitrofuran.

In small doses nitrofuran is used to treat illnesses such urinary infections, however larger doses are believed to be dangerous and potentially carcinogenic.

Dr Mak Sin-ping, controller of the Centre for Food Safety (CFS), a government lab, said the chemical was found in minute concentrations in samples of pompano, tiger grouper and flowery grouper fish.

"As the levels of nitrofurans detected in the fish samples were low, normal consumption should not pose any adverse health effects," Mak said in a statement. "There is no cause for undue alarm.

"We would continue to monitor the situation closely to protect public health," she said.

Some of the contaminated fish were bought from a branch of the Park n Shop supermarket chain, which is owned by Asia's richest man, tycoon Li Ka-shing. The rest came from a fish wholesalers.

The fish are believed to have been imported from mainland China, the source of the vast majority of the tiny former British colony's food.

Supplies of freshwater fish from the mainland -- which come under stricter import checks that saltwater fish -- have been halted since samples were found with the cancer-causing industrial dye malachite green, a banned additive that is nonetheless found in some farm-fish feed.

Media reports say mainland wholesalers are believed to have unilaterally stopped the imports in protest at Hong Kong's increasingly stringent food safety standards.

The latest fish scare follows many in the past couple of years that have prompted temporary import bans, mostly concerning the presence of malachite green.

However, chicken eggs recently came under the spotlight after it was found the carcinogenc Red Sudan dye was being added to some mainland chickens' feed to produce red egg yolks, seen as a delicacy in China.

There have been other recent scares, over pork from China and poultry imports amid bird flu outbreaks.

Hong Kong threaten China in table tennis

http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/fri/dec8s3.htm

Hong Kong threaten China in table tennis


DOHA (AFP) - Hong Kong clinched gold in the men's doubles while China took the women's title as the Red Army's dominance of table tennis at the Asian Games came under threat on Wednesday.

With two titles already secure, China's Guo Yue and Li Xiaoxia defeated Hong Kong's Tie Ya Na and Zhang Rui 4-1 in a spirited match.

The Hong Kong pair, who downed China's Wang Nan and inexperienced Chen Qing earlier Wednesday in the semifinal, took the first set easily.

But the number one seeds simply upped the tempo in response, fighting back for a 4-1 victory.

China arrived in Doha seeking to cement their reputation as the world's best paddlers after taking just three of seven gold on offer at the last Games.

They quickly won the team titles here, blanking Singapore in the women's final and South Korea in the men's.

But their attempts at a gold-medal clean sweep were derailed when Hong Kong's Ko Lai Chak and Li Ching defeated China's Ma Lin and Chen Qi in the men's doubles in a reverse result of the Athens Olympics final. The Hong Kong Olympic silver medallists had earlier dispensed with another Chinese pair Ma Long and Wang Hao in a tense semifinal match.

The southern territory has a chance of another gold on Thursday when Tie takes on Guo in the women's singles after upsetting Wang Nan on her way to the final. Tie fought a ferocious battle against the three-time world champion before emerging with a 4-3 victory, her first against the world number three.

A surprised Tie, ranked three here, said she had decided before the match to take a risky stand against the world number three and play courageous shots.

Yuan becomes stronger, worries Hong Kong

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=7944

Yuan becomes stronger, worries Hong Kong
China’s currency has appreciated by more than 5.3% against the US dollar since July 2005 and it is poised to become more profitable than Hong Kong’s currency. There are concerns about the city’s economy and about an increase in local inflation.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Chinese yuan hit a new high yesterday when it reached an exchange rate of 7.8226 yuan to one US dollar. The Chinese currency now has the same value as the Hong Kong dollar and its appreciation is expected to continue.

The exchange rate for the Hong Kong dollar is around 7.8 to one US dollar. The RMB (renminbi) yuan has grown by more than 5.3% since 21 July 2005, when the exchange rate was revised and fixed at 8.28 yuan to the US dollar, with the possibility of floating within a daily 0.3% band. Further appreciation is generally anticipated so the RMB should soon acquire a higher exchange rate than the Hong Kong dollar.

Paul Gruenwald, Hong Kong representative at the International Monetary Fund, yesterday spoke out to calm the city and its markets. He reiterated that the local currency remains “strong” and that the Fund “strongly supports the authorities” of the city. Gruenwald excluded the threat of serious consequences for markets and the global economy although he did admit that increased local inflation –currently around 2% – should be expected. The municipal government must now decide whether to readjust the currency, something that may however lead to more inflation and serious psychological reactions, showing that the local currency must follow the progress of the renminbi.

For years, the United States has accused Beijing of keeping the exchange rate low to favour its exports, so experts believe the Central Bank is for this appreciation as a sign of “goodwill” in view of the imminent visit of Henry Paulson, US Treasury Secretary.

Meanwhile, there is the risk that the current relationship between Hong Kong and neighbouring Shenzhen may change and even reverse. In Shenzhen (Guandong), the Hong Kong dollar has always been preferred as a strong currency and it circulates freely. The city has always been a traditional destination for Hong Kong businessmen and consumers, and thousands pass through the customs points at Lok Fu and Huanggang every day. Many employees in Shenzhen receive their wages in Hong Kong dollars. It is estimated that visitors from Hong Kong spend more than 30 billion HK dollars every year (812 million US dollars).

But now more and more shops are refusing to accept the Hong Kong currency for fear that it will devalue compared to the RMB and many traders have already revised their exchange rates, valuing 100 HK dollars at no more than 95 yuan. For now, analysts say, the influx of Chinese from Hong Kong has not diminished: they come to Shenzhen over the weekend and during the holidays to eat and to shop, not least because prices are cheaper. But some do not exclude the possibility that soon there will be a reverse influx, if revaluation of the RMB makes prices in Hong Kong worthwhile.

Guo Shipin, economic consultant of Shenzhen’s town government and dean of the local university’s finance department, said that the Shenzhen economy had not yet been affected because fear of a further yuan appreciation had prompted Hong Kong residents to invest in real estate and other financial sectors.

According to statistics from Shenzhen customs, the amount of yuan exported to Hong Kong decreased by 90% in the first half of 2006 in comparison with the same period last year. Meanwhile, 460 million yuan more than last year were exported from Hong Kong.

HK has all the trappings of an election ... except voters

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061205/wl_asia_afp/hongkongchinapolitics_061205162223

HK has all the trappings of an election ... except voters

by Mark McCord Tue Dec 5, 12:33 PM ET



AFP/File Photo: Political hopeful Alan Leong addresses the press at an election rally in the central district...



HONG KONG (AFP) - Political hopeful Alan Leong's campaign to become Hong Kong's next leader has all the trappings of a modern democratic electoral battle.
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He has an eye-catching logo, he holds fund-raising gatherings, he canvasses support on the streets and he talks of his manifesto changing the city for the better.

All that's missing are the voters.

In undemocratic Hong Kong, it will not be electors who choose the winner of the chief executive selection race in March, but a panel of elites sympathetic to the city's overall rulers in China.

But while Leong concedes he has no chance of winning against China's favoured candidate, incumbent chief executive Donald Tsang, the pro-democracy lawmaker has decided he must still pound the streets building up public support.

"I have set for myself the target of rekindling the interest of Hong Kong people in the chief executive election to at least give them a chance to choose between policies," Leong said after a fund-raising luncheon.

"If I succeed in doing that I will consider myself a winner," he added.

A lawyer by trade, Leong is a leading light in the moderate faction of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement, which has long campaigned for an overhaul of the city's electoral system.

While he objects to the narrow-franchised election that will choose the chief executive in March, he has nonetheless put himself forward as a protest candidate.

He has begun campaigning early because he fears Hong Kong's seven million citizens have become politically complacent in recent years, thanks to the booming economy and the leadership of Tsang, who while considered a Beijing yes-man, is popular among the people.

"(I want) to try to overcome this feeling of helplessness or this culture of disability," he said.

As well as stimulating debate, Leong hopes to give Hong Kong a taste of what electoral politics would look like if democracy was introduced.

To even stand a chance of competing, he must first win the nominations of 100 of the 800 members of the Election Committee that will select the chief executive.

That's a tough task as the election committee is stuffed with pro-Beijing conservatives who are unlikely to vote against the communist leadership's preferred candidate.

That system -- introduced after sovereignty of the city passed from colonial rulers Britain to China in 1997 -- has prevented other challengers from toppling incumbent leaders.

In both elections since the handover, China's anointed candidate ran unopposed after receiving more than 700 nominations in the first round.

Leong is undeterred, however. His goal is simply to stimulate debate on what he and his fellow pro-democrats feel is an unjust political system.

"I cannot accept there will be no competition for the top political post in Hong Kong for the third time in 10 years," he said.

"Open competition creates a political marketplace where policies compete, proposals are tested and wider perspectives and better solutions are rewarded," he added.

"An absence of competition favours the mediocre (and) the unimaginative, and allows leaders to become arrogant, complacent, remote and defensive."

According to street surveys by his Civic Party, Hong Kong people are clamouring for the chance to vote for their leaders.

Margaret Ng, a colourful pro-democracy legislator in Leong's party, said he has been receiving positive responses from the public during hustings.

"They understand why he is doing this -- why he is standing even though he will loose," said Ng. "People from all over the territory come up to us and wish us luck. They want a competitive election."

So far Tsang has yet to indicate whether or not he will run in March, but the indications from Chinese leaders is that Beijing has found no other potential candidate to back.

Hong Kong cardinal criticizes ordination

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061201/ap_on_re_as/china_vatican_1

Hong Kong cardinal criticizes ordination By MIN LEE, Associated Press Writer
Thu Nov 30, 11:06 PM ET


HONG KONG - Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen on Friday lashed out at China's latest ordination of a bishop without papal approval — the third known case this year — accusing Beijing of reneging on a promise to the Vatican to stop the practice.

Wang Renlei, the 37-year-old vicar-general of the Xuzhou Diocese in the eastern province of Jiangsu, was ordained Thursday in a two-hour ceremony attended by about 1,000 people, said Liu Bainian, deputy chairman of the government-backed Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association.

Liu defended the installment of Wang, saying his predecessor needed to be replaced because he was more than 90 years old.

Beijing broke ties with the Vatican in 1951 after the communists took power and set up a separate Catholic church outside the authority of the Holy See. Local faithful are only allowed to worship with the state-sanctioned church.

Efforts to resume Sino-Vatican diplomatic ties have been hindered by China's reluctance to cede its power to name bishops. Beijing views papal appointments in China as an interference in internal affairs.

China drew fire from the Vatican when it installed Bishops Ma Yinglin in the southwestern city of Kunming and Liu Xinhong in Wuhu in the central province of Anhui earlier this year. The Holy See threatened to excommunicate the priests.

Zen, however, said in a statement Friday that after the first round of bishop appointments this year, Beijing had invited a Vatican delegation to the Chinese capital and promised to stop the practice.

"It is hard to understand how there can be people who obstinately work for destruction," Zen said.

The cardinal suggested China's government-backed church fears it will lose power if Beijing recognizes the Vatican.

He said Thursday's ordination "made evident how those with vested interests are terribly afraid that the church one day may operate normally and freely according to her constitution."

Zen also criticized the Chinese government for allegedly detaining two bishops recognized by the Vatican and forcing them to attend Wang's ordination.

Despite the Vatican's illegitimacy in China, millions remain loyal to the pope and worship in secret, but priests and members of their congregations are frequently detained and harassed.

While banned in mainland China, the Vatican operates in Hong Kong, a Chinese-ruled former British colony that is promised significant autonomy and Western-style civil liberties such as religious freedom.

HK wants tougher food laws after recent scares

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HKG177646.htm

HK wants tougher food laws after recent scares
30 Nov 2006 05:48:45 GMT
Source: Reuters


HONG KONG, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Hong Kong has called for tougher laws to allow the mandatory recall of food items found to be contaminated, the city's top health official said on Thursday after a spate of food scares.

Eggs tainted with a carcinogenic industrial dyes, freshwater fish with traces of toxic chemicals and formaldehyde-laced bean curd have been detected by food safety officials in recent weeks.

"Yes, we absolutely would like to legislate to regulate the trade. There are some inadequacies, and legislating would be intended to address all these problems," York Chow, Hong Kong's Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, told a special legislative council meeting to discuss food safety.

Hong Kong laws only allow the government the right to seize tainted food, but not the power to prohibit the sale of contaminated food items. Most of the former British colony's food comes from across the border in China.

By boosting its enforcement powers, the government said it could act more effectively to freeze the sale of potentially dangerous foods and track down the source of suspect products.

Hong Kong has been among several Chinese cities to be hit by eggs tainted with the industrial and cancer-causing Sudan IV dye, mixed in with chicken feed, to make egg yolks redder and therefore more expensive.

Hong Kong has so far only detected a small number of Sudan dye tainted eggs -- two salted ducks eggs and five hen eggs -- but the scandal has undermined public confidence in food safety, particularly after officials at first denied any such imports.

Hong Kong imports 90 percent of its food and has been at the mercy of food traders who've used unscrupulous means to make a profit and get around perfunctory supervision.

Its porous land and sea borders also make Hong Kong vulnerable to smuggling of contraband fish, meat and vegetables from unregistered suppliers.

Fresh-water aquatic imports from Chinese fish farms have been a recurrent problem in recent years, with traces of toxic substances, such as the anti-fungal chemical malachite green, often showing up in fish and eels despite a ban.

Guangdong fish suppliers, however, claim that Hong Kong's standards are too stringent and recently suspended fresh-fish exports to the city in an apparent protest, causing a fish shortage in local wet-markets.

Ching Cheong petition to be handed to NPC chief

http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=58610

CHINA: Ching Cheong petition to be handed to NPC chief
28 legislators sign letter that calls on Hu Jintao to release the jailed journalist

South China Morning Post
Wednesday, November 29, 2006

By Klaudia Lee and Jimmy Cheung


The Security Bureau yesterday promised to hand in a petition from Ching Cheong's family to National People's Congress chairman Wu Bangguo calling on him to review the jailed journalist's case during his visit to the city.

The comments by Ching's elder brother, Ching Hai, followed a meeting between the family and a Security Bureau official and came as former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang called on Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen to take a more "proactive" role in helping the jailed journalist.

A signature campaign by Democratic Party legislator Cheung Man-kwong also gathered steam, with 28 lawmakers signing the letter that calls on President Hu Jintao to release Ching on medical parole.

Ching Hai said the official had promised the family that the letter would be handed to Mr Wu. The letter calls on the NPC chairman to look into the case, saying the verdict was unjust and was founded on biased and insufficient evidence.

The official also promised to pass the family's request to the mainland authorities asking for medical parole for Ching and to allow him to serve out his sentence in Guangzhou, he said.

Ching Hai also revealed that mainland sources had told him that the Beijing Higher People's Court would soon deliver a formal letter to the detention centre in Beijing notifying them that the case was closed.

Mrs Chan, who yesterday described Ching as journalist who loved the country and Hong Kong, said she was "very saddened" by the case.

"Hong Kong people hope that our chief executive can reflect Hong Kong's people's concerns and worries," she added.

Date Posted: 11/29/2006

Reality of HK's 'one country, two systems'

http://us.ft.com/ftgateway/superpage.ft?news_id=fto112820061735286294

Reality of HK's 'one country, two systems'

By Justine Lau and Tom Mitchell in Hong Kong
Tue Nov 28 17:15:27 EST 2006


The intervention of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office in the sale of PCCW (NYSE:PCW) to foreign bidders represents Beijing's boldest intervention in the territory's supposedly sancrosanct commercial affairs since the 1997 handover.

When Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule nine years ago, the former British colony was promised autonomy over all aspects of its governance except those related to defence and foreign affairs. Under the "one country, two systems" principle conceived by Deng Xiaoping, China's late patriarch, the world's biggest communist country pledged to protect Hong Kong's capitalist tradition.

Over the years many have accused China of wielding an "invisible hand" in the territory's political and judicial affairs but Beijing has trod carefully in the commercial arena for fear of damaging Hong Kong's reputation as an open place to do business.

However, the proposed sale of PCCW's telecoms assets to Australia's Macquarie Bank and TPG-Newbridge of the US struck a nerve.

Though supportive of Richard Li's takeover of PCCW six years ago, officials at the Beijing-based Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office were taken aback by Mr Li's moves in June to sell his company's assets to foreign companies.

By proposing to sell PCCW's assets rather than the company itself, Macquarie and TPG-Newbridge's bids neatly sidestepped the right of China Netcom (NYSE:CN) , PCCW's second-biggest shareholder, to veto sales of more than 10 per cent of the company's equity.

As part of China's state council, or cabinet, the HKMAO serves as a bridge between China and its two special administrative regions.

While the HKMAO stayed silent, in June state-owned China Netcom issued a strongly worded statement opposing any changes in PCCW, saying it should continue to be "managed and owned by Hong Kong people". It remains unclear if the HKMAO was acting on orders from higher above or on its own. One sceptic says: "This smacks of second-tier politics in Beijing."

Others note that the HKMAO's reporting lines flow to both Wen Jiabao, the premier, and Zeng Qinghong, vice-president, who heads an elite government working group that oversees Hong Kong-related policymaking.

Second-tier politics or not, the HKMAO has reminded foreign investors in Hong Kong that "one country, two systems" may be a nice catchphrase but it is not the reality.

Lawmakers asked to sign parole request for reporter

http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=58537

HONG KONG: Lawmakers asked to sign parole request for reporter
Democratic party members urged to sign letter addressed to Wen Jiabao for the release of Ching Cheong

South China Morning Post
Tuesday, November 28, 2006

By Denise Hung and Gary Cheung

The Democrats are soliciting signatures from fellow lawmakers in the hope of making a joint appeal to President Hu Jintao to release journalist Ching Cheong on medical parole.

Party lawmaker Cheung Man-kwong said they would ask all members to sign the letter, irrespective of their party affiliation and political background.

The letter, which will also be addressed to Premier Wen Jiabao, said Ching, a correspondent for The Straits Times in Singapore, should be granted medical parole on humanitarian grounds and allowed to return to Hong Kong.

"I will set Friday as the last day for collecting the signatures, as some parties may need to have meetings before they decide to give their names or not," Mr Cheung said.

It is too early to say whether lawmakers will make a unanimous call.

Tsang Yok-sing, of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, has previously written to mainland authorities requesting leniency, but yesterday a party lawmaker said they would have to discuss the letter once they received it.

The DAB's Tam Yiu-chung said: "We need to discuss it first, as we rarely express our views through signing letters like this. We have all along been expressing our concern through our own channels."

On Friday, a Beijing court rejected Ching's appeal against his conviction for spying for Taiwan, quashing the Hong Kong journalist's attempt to clear his name. Ching was jailed for five years by a lower court in August.

Ching, 56, has lost more than 4kg and suffered stomach pains almost every night, according to the Ching Cheong Incident Concern Group.

Mary Lau Man-yee, the journalist's wife, said Ching's family planned to write to the Hong Kong government this week to ask it to pass a letter to the mainland authorities.

The letter would call on the central government to release Ching on medical parole or allow him to serve out his sentence in Guangzhou, she said.

Lau, who is also a journalist, said the family would discuss the issue with security officials this week.

Date Posted: 11/28/2006

Guangdong halts freshwater fish exports

http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/391690

Guangdong halts freshwater fish exports
Tuesday, November 28, 2006 at 07:10 EST

HONG KONG — Exports of freshwater fish from Guangdong Province in southern China will be suspended from Tuesday because carcinogenic disinfectant and antibiotics have been found in them, Hong Kong fishmongers said Monday.

Hong Kong, Kowloon and New Territories Freshwater Fish Wholesale Association Director Tommy Hui, quoting sources from mainland China, said traders in four of five major export sites in the province have confirmed the export suspension. "There is nothing we can do now, except wait for resumption," Hui said.


© 2006 Kyodo News. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission.

HK journalist jailed in China asks to serve term near home

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view_article.php?article_id=34849

HK journalist jailed in China asks to serve term near home



Agence France-Presse
Last updated 02:44pm (Mla time) 11/26/2006


HONG KONG--Veteran Hong Kong journalist Ching Cheong, jailed in China for spying for Taiwan, has asked that he serve his five-year sentence at a prison closer to home, his family said Sunday.

After an appeal against his conviction was last week refused following in a brief closed-door court session, Ching, 56, requested a transfer from his prison believed to be in Beijing to one in southern Guangdong province.

"It would be more convenient for his family to visit him," his wife Mary Lau told local RTHK radio.

"In order to visit him regularly it would be more convenient for him to be in prison in the Guangdong area," Lau added.

Ching was sentenced on August 31 to five years in jail following a one-day, closed-door trial on espionage charges. He has always maintained his innocence.

In its original verdict, a lower Beijing court said Ching passed on information, some of it top secret, to two people from a Taiwanese foundation who were in fact deputies of an intelligence agency.

The case has attracted international attention, highlighting fears China is cracking down against foreign and domestic journalists in the run-up to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

His family, who have campaigned for his release since he was arrested, say Ching's health problems have worsened since he was imprisoned.