【明報專訊】THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES has passed the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) Certification Act with an overwhelming majority, threatening the continuity of the three local Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) of the SAR government. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the SAR government have expressed condemnation in unison.
Hong Kong has 14 ETOs overseas. They are responsible for business promotion and exchanges, liaising with the governments, business circles and universities of different regions, and supporting overseas companies' expansion of their businesses in Hong Kong. Things were fine for many years. Since last year, however, US and UK politicians have repeatedly expressed queries that the SAR government's ETOs engage in "activities that are at odds with their status" such as surveillance, picturing ETOs as some sort of "intelligence agencies".
The US regards itself as a champion of freedom of speech. There is nothing wrong when the ETOs of the SAR promote trade and tell a good story of Hong Kong. However, the Republican politicians who proposed the bill have labelled ETOs as an accomplice in destroying Hong Kong's freedom and becoming Beijing's overseas propaganda arm.
A stranglehold on the ETOs is another political manoeuvre by US politicians to undermine Hong Kong. It will not have a major impact on the business between the two places. However, American businessmen who intend to come to China or Hong Kong and seek business opportunities here will inevitably have fewer channels to seek support when there are no ETOs. It is hoped that the US Senate and the White House will deal with the bill rationally rather than doing something that will harm others and not benefit themselves.
Hong Kong's internal and external environments have experienced a paradigm shift over the past few years. On the international stage, its role has changed from "Hong Kong of the West" to "Hong Kong of China". Under the new geopolitical situation, it is futile to expect anti-China politicians in the US to stop suppressing Hong Kong. At the same time, it is also an objective fact that the international community feels that Hong Kong has not been as open and tolerant as before in recent years. What Hong Kong can do is to explain more to the outside world, and try its best to maintain the diversity, freedom and openness of Hong Kong society. It should not do anything to weaken Hong Kong's uniqueness.
At a public event in June this year, Paul Lam, the Secretary for Justice, described Hong Kong's advantages as being free and open, having diverse views and colourful. To build a diverse and open society, everyone must agree to disagree and be open-minded. Even if there are different opinions that cannot be reconciled, people should still treat each other with courtesy.
Freedom of speech is not absolute and cannot exceed the scope permitted by law. However, an open society must have ample space for people to speak their minds. While government officials can express their disagreement with certain views, they should not always play the role of the "judge" to define what is correct and what is incorrect. Nor should they habitually handle differences with a heavy-handed approach simply because there is "soft confrontation" in society.
The international situation is treacherous, and it is indeed necessary for Hong Kong to safeguard national security. However, if different views or opinions are easily categorised as "soft confrontation", it will definitely be detrimental to rebuilding Hong Kong's image as an open and tolerant city.
明報社評2024.09.13：香港遭美國無理打壓 更須致力維護獨特性
美國眾議院以壓倒性比數通過《香港經貿辦認證法案》，威脅特區政府在當地3間經貿辦的存續，外交部與特區政府齊聲譴責。
香港在海外設有14個經貿辦，負責商貿推廣及交流，與各地政府、商界及大學聯繫，以及支援海外企業在港拓展業務等，多年來一直相安無事，然而去年以來，美英政客卻一再質疑特區經貿辦從事「不符身分的活動」，例如執行「監視」任務等，儼然將經貿辦描繪為「情報機構」。
美國標榜言論自由，特區經貿辦推廣商貿，說好香港故事，看不到有什麼問題，提出「法案」的共和黨政客卻給經貿辦扣上「有份摧毁香港自由及成為北京的外宣工具」的帽子。
封殺經貿辦，是美國政客打擊香港的又一政治操作，雖然不會對兩地生意往來構成重大影響，但對於有意來華來港尋找商機的美商，沒有經貿辦，難免少了門路尋求支援協助，唯盼參議院和白宮理智處理「法案」，不做損人不利己之事。
香港內外環境，過去數年經歷了範式轉移，香港在國際舞台上的角色，由「西方的香港」，變成「中國的香港」。新的地緣政治形勢下，指望美國反華政客停手不再打壓香港，無異於緣木求魚；與此同時，國際社會覺得近年香港開放包容度不及從前，也是客觀事實。香港可以做的是多向外界解說，同時盡力維護香港社會多元、自由及開放，不做削弱香港獨特性之事。
律政司長林定國今年6月出席一項公開活動時，形容香港優勢是自由開放、七嘴八舌、多姿多采，而建構一個多元開放的社會，所有人都要有求同存異、海納百川的胸襟，即使遇到不同意見，無法解決分歧，亦應以禮相待。
言論自由並非絕對，不能踰越法律允許的範圍，但開放社會必須有寬敞的空間，讓人暢所欲言。官方可以表達對某些觀點不認同，但不應該經常以「判官」姿態，就「正確」與「不正確」下定義，亦不應該因為社會存在「軟對抗」，就慣性以強硬態度處理不同意見。
國際形勢險惡，香港需要維護國家安全，但動不動就將不同觀點或意見說成是「軟對抗」，一定不利重建香港開放包容形象。
■ Glossary 生字 /
in unison : together; at the same time
at odds with : if things are at odds with each other, they are different or opposite when they should be the same
stranglehold : complete control over sth that makes it impossible for it to grow or develop well