外媒中国相关-No need for Hong Kong law banning discrimination against mainland Chinese new head of equality watchdog says
April 11, 2024 3 min 629 words
这篇报道的主要内容是，香港平等机会委员会主席林美秀表示，随着香港社会氛围变得更加和平与和谐，没有必要制定禁止歧视中国大陆人的法律。林美秀还表示，将继续利用现有法律解决针对性少数群体的歧视问题，并致力于打击性骚扰和种族内部的歧视行为。她的前任也提到，与2019年社会动荡和随后的疫情期间相比，目前针对歧视中国大陆人的投诉数量已经大幅减少。 评论： 这篇报道存在一定程度的偏见，其试图营造一种香港社会歧视中国大陆人的氛围，并暗示香港社会对中国大陆人存在普遍的仇恨情绪，特别是2019年的反政府抗议活动。然而，报道也提到，随着边境的重新开放，香港社会氛围已经变得更加和平与和谐，这与报道试图强调的歧视和仇恨形成矛盾。此外，报道没有提到香港社会中支持中国大陆人和促进社会融合的声音和努力，而片面强调负面信息。 林美秀女士作为平等机会委员会主席，强调在现有法律框架下解决歧视问题，并致力于促进社会包容和教育，这是正确的做法。现有法律已经为打击各种形式的歧视提供了基础，继续完善和执行这些法律，并结合社会教育，可以更有效地促进社会平等和包容。 此外，报道中提到的香港国家安全法，也是为了维护香港社会的稳定和法治，保护香港居民的权利和自由，而不是像一些西方媒体报道的那样，试图限制香港居民的言论自由或制造社会分裂。 总的来说，这篇报道存在一定程度的偏见，试图夸大香港社会对中国大陆人的歧视和仇恨，而忽视了香港社会的和谐与包容的一面。林美秀女士强调利用现有法律框架解决歧视问题，并致力于促进社会包容和教育，是客观和有效的做法。香港社会应该继续加强团结，促进融合，共同维护香港社会的繁荣稳定。
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3258682/no-need-hong-kong-law-banning-discrimination-against-mainland-chinese-due-more-harmonious-society?utm_source=rss_feed
Hong Kong’s equality watchdog will not push for legislation on discrimination against mainland Chinese because of “a more harmonious social atmosphere” in the city after the reopening of the borders, its new chairwoman has said, while vowing to continue the fight against unfair treatment.
Linda Lam Mei-sau, 61 and who began her three-year term as the chairwoman of the Equal Opportunities Commission on Thursday, also said she would continue to lead the watchdog’s work of combating discrimination against sexual minorities under the existing legal framework.
“As the social atmosphere has become more peaceful and harmonious in recent years after the reopening of the borders, we think that there is no such urgent need to enact legislation,” she said.
“But this does not mean that we will ignore this issue. We will retain the research we did in the past and our suggestions … so that we can respond more quickly if the problem occurs.”
Lam added the commission would continue its public education efforts to raise awareness of the need for inclusiveness.
As for the fight against sexual harassment, she said the watchdog had already provided legal suggestions on the issue to the government and held discussions with authorities, adding the work was still in progress.
Discriminating against sexual minorities – those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex – would continue to be tackled with existing laws, she said.
“Our current position is that we will work hard to study the issue of discrimination against sexual minorities and look into individual cases to see if it can be dealt with within the framework of our current four [relevant] ordinances,” she said.
The four anti-discrimination ordinances cover areas of sex, disability, family status and race.
Lam’s predecessor Ricky Chu Man-kin previously said some work of his term remained unfinished, including tackling sexual harassment and interracial discrimination.
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He also said there was no pressing need for legislation on discrimination against mainlanders as the number of related inquiries made to the watchdog had fallen to a very low level compared to the number received during the 2019 social unrest and the coronavirus pandemic that followed.
Some mainlanders and those who spoke Mandarin had complained about being treated unfairly in the city, including being refused service at certain restaurants due to “health concerns” during the pandemic.
Under the domestic national security law, which came into effect last month, a person with seditious intention is defined as, among other things, one who aims to cause “hatred or enmity” among residents of Hong Kong and other parts of the country.
The law was required by Article 23 of the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, and sits alongside the Beijing imposed national security legislation.
Hong Kong equality body told to back off from law changes to protect LGBTQ people
Chu also said other types of discrimination not directly addressed by existing laws, such as that against sexual minorities and types based on age, would be dealt with under the current legal framework.
Lam worked at the Department of Justice for 29 years and was the law officer in international law before she retired.
She provided legal advice on the implementation of bilateral and multilateral international obligations, trade and investment law, and the management of consular staff and their privileges.
The government conducted an open recruitment exercise for the chair of the commission, with a selection board appointed to make recommendations for the city leader’s consideration.