Defending the rule of law

Rules on political donations in HKSAR need to be tightened to require political organizations to declare the funds they get

Recently, local media revealed documents which showed that Next Media Chairman Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has maintained close ties with right-wing politicians in the United States. They also showed that Lai has continuously given financial support to the opposition camp. He gave the "Occupy Central" campaign about HK$3.5 million ($451,591) to help them hold their contrived online vote last month. Lai also paid for some of the Occupy organizers to visit Taiwan to meet "Taiwan independence" activists. The documents include e-mail messages from Lai's top aide Mark Simon and others, as well as copies of receipts of money transfers. Clearly, the "opposition" maintains relationships with foreign powers who want to destabilize China.

But the opposition camp still insists it has done nothing illegal according to Hong Kong law. Some opposition politicians argue that because Hong Kong is a cosmopolitan city with close ties to the West, it is normal for Hongkongers to have such contacts with foreigners.