HKU law professors hit back against pro-Beijing press ‘political interference’ attacks
Nine academics unite to denounce pro-Beijing media's accusations against possible candidate for top position as CY denies interference
Law professors from the University of Hong Kong have joined forces to hit back at attacks on a colleague by pro-Beijing media, saying the news reports were a "worrying" signal of political interference in academic affairs.
Nine professors spoke to the yesterday as Sophia Kao Ching-chi, a top adviser to the chief executive, admitted discussing with unidentified people whether pro-democracy scholar Johannes Chan Man-mun was fit to be a HKU pro-vice chancellor. She claimed she could not remember if they were from HKU.
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying was yesterday accused of trying to block the appointment of Chan in an report.
But Leung's office responded with a flat denial of interference.
"The chief executive and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government have not intervened in the selection process of the vice-president of HKU," the office said. "We express regret over the unfounded allegations made by the report."
In their interview with the , the HKU scholars argued that a recent research assessment, on which attacks on Chan by pro-Beijing newspaper were based, did not fully reflect the law school's contribution to academia and the wider community under Chan's leadership, especially its pivotal role in Hong Kong law.
