S for S speaks on Chan Tong-kai case
21.10.2020

Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr John Lee, at a media session after attending the Legislative Council meeting today (October 21): Reporter: Secretary, first of all, did you personally read mother Poon's letter and your response to her letter because she is appealing to you to do more? Can you just tell her how many times have the Police and your bureau, a Government minister, reached out to Taiwan to proactively try to solve the stalemate? My second question is about the point on police's protection for Chan Tong-kai. Can you explain to mother Poon as well as taxpayers why is he still under police protection in a luxury home when he is supposed to be surrendering himself? You were also explaining earlier that it is up to him to go and apply for his own travel document to go to Taiwan to surrender himself. He is free to go out himself. Why is he not doing that to handle and proactively solve this problem and go to Taiwan? Earlier from your introduction and your explanation, are you blaming the society for opposing the extradition bill that your administration was pushing last year for this stalemate that we have right now, because last time Taiwan already said that it wouldn't accept such kind of extradition even if the bill was passed. Can you clarify on that point as well? Thank you. Secretary for Security: To answer your last question first, don't put words into my mouth. Society has made its own choice so I will have to somehow accept that choice. In regard to the protection for Chan Tong-kai, the Police of course made an assessment of the threats to his safety. This assessment will be reviewed as the situation needs. I shall leave it to the Police to make assessment of the threat that he may be facing so as to make the decision. But a person under police protection doesn't mean that he cannot do what he wants. He is free to do what he wants and police will accordingly take measures. Chan can, if he chooses to, go to a particular place to further his surrender, he is free to do so. Lastly, regarding what we have been doing to facilitate Chan's surrender, you have to understand that it is facilitation. He has served his sentence, he has not committed any crime in Hong Kong, so there will be no compulsory measures that the Government can take. The decision is his. He has indicated his wish to surrender so what we can do is to facilitate. And if we can do it in accordance with what the law allows us to do, of course we will do it. When the Taiwan side, through the Police working level co-operation channel, asked us to pass on information to Chan, we have expeditiously done that and so informed the Taiwan side. I cannot force the decision on Chan and I cannot force any arrangement on Chan. If Chan has been allowed to go to Taiwan, his indication is made clear to us, then we can do what the law allows us to do. Reporter: Have you read mother Poon's letter personally? Secretary for Security: I of course have read her letter many times and I understand her feelings. I want as much as she does to facilitate the surrender of Chan. I sincerely appeal to everyone that we have to understand this case's special circumstances. It has not happened before. It is about a man who has served his sentence, has not committed any offence (in Hong Kong now), and the present laws in Hong Kong do not allow us to do legal assistance with the Taiwan side. We are operating under all these limits. Some of these limits are legal restrictions. While I sincerely try my best, I can't do anything in contravention to the law. I sincerely appeal to anybody to look at this case from this perspective. The key for further action is not the Hong Kong Government; the key for further action is the Taiwan side. Open the door, open the window. (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)