HKFP Monitor July 26, 2025: The impact of state media attacks, and rare tension among lawmakers over same-sex bill

HKFP

2 days ago

This week, Beijing-backed media ramped up the 'soft resistance' narrative with a full-on, week-long attack on indie bookshops, cafés, and other businesses – raising questions about what they signal.
Meanwhile, tension is brewing in Hong Kong's 'patriots-only' legislature, as some lawmakers push back against a bill granting limited rights to same-sex couples – a rare sight since the electoral overhaul.
With the next LegCo election looming, the political scene remains unusually quiet. A local column suggests hopefuls are holding back, waiting for the green light to run.
And finally, a cheerful celebrity photo turned political drama as stars Eric Tsang and Kenny Bee rushed to apologise after being pictured with controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee.
Chinese state-run newspapers Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao have ramped up their attacks on indie bookshops, stores, and media outlets they label as pro-democracy — devoting a week of full-page reports accusing them of 'soft resistance.'
Their reporters visited shops, cafés, as well as a tea house, a boutique, and even a claw machine store, digging for signs of ideological 'threats.' They even published a map showing a cluster of so-called 'yellow' shops in Sham Shui Po.
According to the reports, some stores sold items with protest-linked slogans like 'We fucking love Hong Kong' and 'May good people have peace throughout their lives' -though social media page HK Propaganda noted that Wen Wei Po and Ta Kung Pao had themselves used the latter phrase multiple times.
Books by indie newsrooms The Witness and The Collective were also singled out, accused of bias and with their founders' backgrounds highlighted.
So what's going on? These attacks aren't new. Since the national security law came into force in 2020, state media have often acted as both a test balloon to gauge public reaction – and a warning shot to their targets. Former Wen Wei Po deputy editor Ching Cheong told HKFP in 2021 that such campaigns usually reflected central planning more than spontaneous journalism.
And they've worked before. In 2021, four members of the Hong Kong Arts Development Council resigned after similar accusations.
But this time, some seem to be unfazed. Hunter Bookstore – targeted on Wen Wei Po's front page for two straight days – called the claims 'ridiculous,' adding it hoped more people would 'stand firm under pressure' and 'do what's right.'
Since Hong Kong overhauled its electoral system in 2021 to create a 'patriots-only' legislature, it has been rare to see lawmakers push back on government bills.
But the proposed Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill is sparking rare tension between the executive and the legislature.
The bill, introduced earlier this month, is the government's response to a 2023 top court ruling requiring legal recognition of same-sex couples within two years. According to the proposal, limited rights would be granted to same-sex couples married overseas.
LGBTQ groups have slammed it as inadequate. Meanwhile, many lawmakers are pushing back hard, claiming it amounts to recognising same-sex marriage and could undermine 'fundamental family values.'
So far, only Regina Ip — who officiated at the 2023 Gay Games — and lawmakers from her New People's Party, as well as solicitor Paul Tse, have voiced open support.
Chief Executive John Lee has stressed that the government must comply with the court's ruling, warning that ignoring it could lead to 'serious consequences.'
The bill is currently under review by a 15-member bills committee before heading to a full Legislative Council (LegCo) debate. It remains to be seen whether lawmakers will hold their ground in rejecting it – and how the government plans to meet the court's October deadline without breaching the ruling.
| LOCAL MEDIA MONITOR
Unusually quiet? Local newspaper Ming Pao's political gossip column said on Wednesday that Hong Kong is seeing an 'unusually quiet' lead-up to the LegCo election in December.
According to the anonymous writer, most politicians hoping to enter or stay in the 'patriots-only' legislature are still 'waiting for instructions,' with barely any public moves being made.
Nominations opened on Monday for a by-election to fill 93 vacant seats in the 1,500-member Election Committee – the powerful body that nominates the city's chief executive and LegCo candidates, and directly elects 40 lawmakers.
The column also mentioned a rumour swirling in political circles: around one-third of current legislators might not be staying. Apparently, securing a second term could hinge on passing an informal 'assessment' by the chief executive. Some unnamed lawmakers even claimed that senior government officials have written reports on certain legislators — reports that could influence their future in LegCo.
Pro-establishment figure Lau Siu-kai said he had heard the rumour too but expressed doubts that the city's top leader has the final say. Beijing, he said, wouldn't want LegCo to be just a rubber stamp and still values lawmakers who offer constructive criticism.
Celebs photo row: Hong Kong stars Eric Tsang and Kenny Bee took to Chinese social media site Weibo over the weekend to apologise after a photo surfaced showing them posing with controversial Malaysian rapper Namewee, known for his outspoken criticism of mainland China.
In the photo, Bee was seen with his hand on Namewee's shoulder. While they didn't mention the Malaysian singer by name, Bee said he had 'no idea' about the person's background or 'inappropriate words and actions.' Had he known, he added, he wouldn't have interacted with him.
'This was an inadvertent mistake and in no way reflects my support for his views,' Bee wrote in a signed statement.
Namewee, whose real name is Wee Meng Chee, originally shared the group photo on Threads but later deleted it. He said it was to protect the 'safety of comrades in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area,' and to avoid affecting the 'peace and stability of the motherland.'
Namewee is best known for his satirical 2021 track Fragile, which pokes fun at hypersensitive Chinese nationalism. He's also had multiple run-ins with Malaysian police over the years in connection with his provocative music videos and film.
HKFP PHOTO OF THE WEEK
This giant calendar shows every inspection Hunter Bookstore has faced from various government departments since 2022 – with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department making the most appearances.
The inspections are part of a broader wave of bureaucratic pressure on indie bookstores across the city. In our exclusive report last week, six independent publishing companies said they had all been hit with simultaneous tax audits over the past 18 months. Those in the independent news sector, including HKFP, previously said they were facing similar scrutiny too.