Latest news with #RegistrationofSame-sexPartnershipsBill
HKFP
6 days ago
- Politics
- HKFP
HKFP Monitor July 26, 2025: The impact of state media attacks, and rare tension among lawmakers over same-sex bill
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.
South China Morning Post
16-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong lawmakers urged to be impartial when reviewing same-sex partnership bill
A senior Hong Kong official has called on lawmakers to be 'pragmatic, rational and impartial' when scrutinising a bill aimed at granting certain legal rights to same-sex couples after most major political parties voiced opposition to the legislation. Advertisement Introducing the bill for its first and second readings in the legislature on Wednesday, Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai stressed that the proposed framework was a 'reasonable balance' between fulfilling the basic societal needs of same-sex couples and preserving the heterosexual marriage system. 'The government understands that the bill is controversial,' he said in the Legislative Council. 'But to safeguard Hong Kong's rule of law, respect the court's ruling and fulfil our duties, the government introduced the bill with a spirit of accountability and courage. 'We hope lawmakers will be pragmatic, rational and impartial in scrutinising the bill.' Same-sex marriage is not permitted in Hong Kong. The Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill is aimed at granting same-sex couples married abroad certain rights related to medical matters and after-death arrangements following a landmark ruling from the top court in 2023. Advertisement As of Wednesday, at least 35 members of the 89-strong Legco told the Post they would oppose the bill, including those from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions and the Liberal Party.
HKFP
11-07-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
‘Monogamous, heterosexual' marriage not compromised by same-sex union framework, Hong Kong gov't says
'The monogamous and heterosexual marriage system' will not be compromised by a proposal to recognise some legal rights of same-sex partners married abroad, the Hong Kong government has said ahead of the bill's introduction to the legislature next week. The remark comes after the government proposed last week an alternative framework to recognise same-sex partnerships registered overseas, in a move to comply with a top court ruling. However, the proposed framework will not allow same-sex partners to marry locally. 'The Bill aims to establish a registration system for same-sex partnerships, so that same-sex partners can apply for registration of their same-sex partnerships,' the government said in a statement on Friday, announcing the gazettal of the Registration of Same-sex Partnerships Bill. 'We reiterate that establishing the alternative framework to introduce a registration system for same-sex partnerships will not compromise the Government's established position on upholding the monogamous and heterosexual marriage system,' the statement read. The bill will be introduced to the legislature for its first reading on Wednesday. The government released the proposal last week, ahead of the two-year deadline set by a Court of Final Appeal ruling in September 2023 to establish a framework recognising same-sex couples' legal rights. The judgment was the result of a legal challenge by LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham, who recently completed his prison sentence for subversion in Hong Kong's largest national security case. Debate The bill proposes that same-sex couples be afforded rights related to medical matters, such as hospital visitation and participation in medical decisions. Partners would also be able to handle after-death arrangements, including body identification procedures and applying to cremate or bury their deceased partner. The proposed framework has been met with resistance from lawmakers. Some said it would upend traditional familial values, while others said recognising same-sex partnerships registered overseas was functionally the same as allowing same-sex marriage in Hong Kong. Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang defended the proposal last week, saying the government 'does not intend to recognise same-sex marriage.' Meanwhile, activists and advocacy groups have criticised the framework as insufficient for same-sex couples in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Marriage Equality said it was only a 'minuscule step' towards protecting same-sex relationships. Sham said the proposal did 'unimaginably little' for the 'core rights of partnership,' pointing out that the financial cost of an overseas-registered marriage would also be a barrier for couples who are not as well off. While same-sex acts were decriminalised in 1991, Hong Kong has no laws to protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination in employment, the provision of goods and services, or hate speech. Equal marriage remains illegal, although a 2023 survey showed that 60 per cent of Hongkongers supported it. Despite repeated government appeals, courts have granted some recognition to those who married – or who entered civil partnerships – abroad in terms of tax, spousal visas, and public housing.
