A man by the name of Chin Chi-kin, who calls himself a "kamikaze occupier" (someone prepared to die for the "Occupy Central" campaign), recently published an open letter in a local Chinese-language newspaper and the Financial Times in Britain. The letter was addressed to President Xi Jinping and Zhang Xiaoming, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR.

In the letter, Chin and his supporters complained that the Hong Kong government had drifted away from the demands of local residents since the July 1997 handover. Chin argues this has led to deeper divisions in Hong Kong which have weakened the city's competitiveness. The letter also claims Hong Kong's political arrangements are hurting the city's long-term development and causing social divisions.

Who is Chin Chi-kin? According to his online profile he is 46 and has worked in the finance industry for more than 20 years. In the letter he managed to collect a number of names of some current and former "heavyweights" in business, finance and other organizations, such as the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, an international investment bank and other agencies.

Hong Kong is an international financial center, where tens of thousands of people work. Being able to collect some 70 names is not such a big deal. Even 700 or 7,000 is still only a minority. It is amazing how Chin and his fellow "Occupy Central" supporters actually believe they represent all Hongkongers. How delusional can they be?

Chin is not even close to being representative of the financial sector - let alone Hong Kong society. Moreover, Hong Kong's constitutional development is so vital to its future that every new step must respect the law and be approved by the central government. It must also be in the interests of the majority of Hong Kong people. It is certainly not something a few political hotheads can postulate with political hyperbole and self-promotion.

Let's not forget that numerous opinion polls reveal that most Hong Kong residents agree that constitutional reform must be conducted according to the Basic Law. They believe it should be pursued in a gradual, orderly manner to maintain the city's stability and prosperity. This is really the popular wish of Hong Kong people. Chin can find solace in knowing he is now a public figure, but there is no need for people to take him seriously. We have far more important business to attend to - not the least of which is our constitutional development.

Indeed, the 10 demands Chin listed in his letter are nothing more than an angry outburst of groundless accusations. The truth is the central government has kept its promise to maintain the "One Country, Two Systems" principle in Hong Kong to safeguard the city's unprecedented autonomy. This is a fact widely recognized by the international community.

Those responsible for the problems mentioned in the letter are a small group of political puppets. These people dance to the tune of Western powers, who are seeking to turn Hong Kong into a frontline for their own interests. These local proxies of foreign powers have been doing their best to oppose the central government, challenge the Basic Law and create discord between Hong Kong and the mainland. They are the true "stumbling blocks to Hong Kong's long-term development and the cause of social division that hampers harmony".

Chin went so far as to suggest that "Occupy Central" would not have a big impact on Hong Kong's economy. This shows that he either knows nothing about the finance industry or has ulterior motives. Anyone with a fair amount of financial knowledge realizes that disruptive acts such as the "Occupy Central" campaign will give international speculators an excellent opportunity to profit at the expense of Hong Kong. That is why few financial experts agree with Chin and his supporters. "Occupy Central" may well put Hong Kong on a path to financial disaster.

If Chin is really prepared to die for "Occupy Central", that is his choice. But he has absolutely no right to drag other people along with him.

The author is a veteran current affairs commentator.

(HK Edition 04/29/2014 page9)