In 2019, the “Anti-Extradition Movement” initiated by Hong Kong citizens has been seven years past. However, the spirit of millions of Hong Kong people demonstrating to uphold Hong Kong’s future and cherish freedom and democracy remains unforgettable to Chinese people both at home and abroad. To commemorate that period of history, Chinese Americans in Los Angeles are in the process of establishing the “Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Memorial Hall”.
On Thursday, September 3, the first board meeting of the Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Memorial Hall was held in the city of Industry to discuss the preparations for setting up the memorial hall in Chinatown Los Angeles. Prior to the meeting, the organizers had collected numerous memorabilia related to the anti-extradition movement, including flags, t-shirts, posters, books, newspapers, and albums.
The President of the board, Zheng Cunzhu, mentioned that before his passing in July, Lam Wing-kei, the founder and owner of Causeway Bay Books in Hong Kong, had sent dozens of books and documents related to Hong Kong’s history and memoirs of Hong Kong democracy activists to the organizers upon learning about the plan to establish the memorial hall. The former Governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, authored the book “Diaries of Hong Kong,” which was also part of the collection.
The organizers also created a display board outlining the timeline of the anti-extradition movement and plan to create more boards once the memorial hall is established to showcase the events that transpired on the streets of Hong Kong during that time. Visitors can view the display boards and peruse the books to understand the full picture of the movement, modern Hong Kong history, and the evolution of democracy, freedom, and judicial independence in Hong Kong.
It was explained by the organizers that the memorial hall had been established elsewhere two years ago but due to its remote location, it had fewer visitors and less impact. Now, establishing it in Los Angeles’s Chinatown will help more Chinese people to understand the truth of history.
In response to the sentencing of Hong Kong democracy activists such as Jimmy Lai, Agnes Chow, Nathan Law, and Joshua Wong, members of the board of the memorial hall have collectively condemned the Chinese Communist Party’s violation of Hong Kong’s rule of law, freedom, and future.
The Chairman, Wang Zhe, expressed that the suppression by the Chinese Communist Party reveals that their so-called “One Country, Two Systems” has deceived not only the people of Hong Kong but also all overseas Chinese and Western countries.
Board member Zhou Chunwei stated that before coming to the United States, she learned from friends within the Chinese regime that during the anti-extradition period, authorities dispatched hundreds of personnel from various public security systems to stay in Hong Kong hotels, specifically tasked to collect information on “subversive elements” and carry out suppression and arrests. She mentioned that individuals could earn an annual salary of five to six hundred thousand RMB for their involvement.
Board member Mao Rui recounted that initially, over a million Hong Kong citizens gathered to protest against the Hong Kong government’s proposed amendment to the Extradition Law due to fears of facing imprisonment or death if extradited to the mainland. The recent sentencing of Hong Kong residents for their political stance illustrates the characteristics of “Mainlandization,” proving that Hong Kong has fallen to “One Country, One System.”
Board member Tong Li, who frequently visited Hong Kong in the past, expressed her sentiment that Hong Kong has lost its original advantages. She said, “Hong Kong’s past ability to be a financial center was mainly based on its rule of law, freedom, international trust, and now Hong Kong has lost its human rights, freedom of speech, and people’s trust in her.”
The preliminary site selection for the Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Memorial Hall is set in Monterey Park City, and it is expected to officially open to the public in about a month. ◇