No place for disruptive political protests at Chinese University, new president says
Rocky Tuan opens lines of communications with student leaders but emphasises political boundaries that must not be crossed
The president of the second oldest university in Hong Kong has once again stressed that the campus is a place for academia and knowledge, not one for political wrestling.
In a wide-ranging interview, the first since his new appointment, Dr Rocky Tuan Sung-chi, Chinese University’s vice chancellor and president, said that while freedom of expression is a cornerstone for the institution, there is a bottom line for all students and staff taking part in politics.
“We have to do it in a peaceful, rational, and mutually respectful [manner],” he said.
We have to do it in a peaceful, rational, and mutually respectful [manner]
The identity of those responsible for posting the materials was unclear, but the university’s student union vowed to keep them up to protect free speech.
In January, a student society for discussing the city’s breakaway from China was set up and is on a trial period.
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The new club, named the Society for the Study of Hong Kong Independence, and under CUHK’s student union, aims to study the feasibility of Hong Kong independence; provide a platform for members to discuss it while safeguarding freedom of speech and academic freedom; raise awareness of independence topics; and organise related activities.
Tuan, who has been in office since January, said that he had met with students four times in the past three months, including student union executive committee members and mainland students.
He stressed that he would continue to maintain this relationship.
Away from political protest, Tuan said he also hopes Hong Kong will take an international approach in its bid to become an innovation and technology hub of global importance.
For Hong Kong, that means developing a pipeline of international collaboration.
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“Even if there is a lot of government surplus, it is still limited money, which cannot be fully maintained,” Tuan said. “We cannot end abruptly in the middle [of the pipeline].
“The most important thing is to have a receptacle, something at the back, which is employment opportunity.”
To achieve this Tuan believes the innovation and technology sector in Hong Kong, home to some seven million people, must look beyond its borders and view the world as its market.
Another HK$10 billion will be earmarked to support the establishment of two research clusters focused on health care technologies, and on artificial intelligence and robotics technologies. That money will be used to attract the world’s best to Hong Kong to work on research and development projects with local universities and scientific research institutions.
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Chan has also proposed allocating HK$10 billion to Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks for it to boost research infrastructure, while injecting a further HK$10 billion into the Innovation and Technology Fund.
“It is important not to take the money to ‘make rockets behind closed doors’,” said Chan, referring to a Chinese saying, which means to not operate in isolation.
He also stressed the importance of communicating and collaborating with others, such as through creating international clusters.
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Tuan said the university was waiting on the government for more details on the proposals, adding he was discussing the possibilities with the leadership team at Chinese University, and had met Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor several times.
