Press Release: Visual Artists Guild salutes Hong Kong financial professionals in their decision to support "Occupy Central".
視覺藝術家協會讚揚香 港金融專業人士決 定支持 “佔領中環" 。
          A group of Hong Kong financial professionals had announced their support for "Occupy Central", a non-violent protest to be held in July 2014 to demand universal suffrage by occupying the central financial district of Hong Kong.
           Hong Kong, the former British Colony which was turned over to China in 1997 under the agreement of "One Country, Two Systems" is slowly having their civil liberties eroded by Beijing's increasing influence.
          Hong Kong has a very convoluted election system of electing the Chief Executive and legislators.  The current Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has been voted on by a select group of 1200 people approved by Beijing.  It has been pointed out by a former underground Communist member in Hong Kong that Leung is also an underground Communist member.  Upon Leung's election, Peoples' Daily announced the election of "Comrade Leung Chun-Ying", a term People's Daily did not use for other elected Chief Executives.
          The February brutal cleaver stabbing of Ming Pao Daily's former editor-in-chief, Kevin Lau and the March attack with a crow bar on two newspaper executives showed an increasing assault on freedom of the press in Hong Kong.
          In an open letter to Xi Jingping signed by 70 financial professionals headed by Edward Chin, it pointed out that “Hong Kong’s existing political system has become the stumbling block to the city’s long-term social, political and economic growth, and is the root cause of social division and disharmony in Hong Kong.”
          Visual Artists Guild salutes Edward Chin and his fellow Hong Kong financial professionals for their great courage and foresight in standing up for the survival of Hong Kong.
Ann Lau, Chair, Visual Artists Guild
April 24, 2014