Hong Kong native speaks on democracy

By Meegan Bozorgzadegan
Staff Writer

A USC alumna is visiting Los Angeles for two weeks in an effort to educate Americans about suffrage and human rights in Hong Kong.
Emily Lau, a 45-year-old USC alumna, led an informal discussion Monday at the Annenberg School for Communication, during which she answered questions and explained the current political situation in her native Hong Kong.
"Hong Kong has never had a democracy, and we still don't," said Lau, who defines a democratic country as one in which the government is elected directly by the people.
Under British control for the past 160 years, Hong Kong rule was returned to the Chinese on July 1. However, Lau said in the past two and a half months, China has already begun imposing new restrictions and freedom limitations on the people of Hong Kong, including replacing the entire government with their own appointed representatives.
"We hope China will change, and we hope according to the wishes of the people of Hong Kong," Lau said.
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in journalism from USC in 1976, Lau worked for various publications until 1991, when she resigned from her post at a Hong Kong newsmagazine to run for political office.
"I think it's exciting to be able to speak to somebody about these world affairs that's from the School of Journalism (at USC)," said Seth Doane, a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism. "She's utilizing what the university gave to her and making a difference."
Lau was elected as the first and only woman to the Hong Kong government in September of 1991 and re-elected in 1995, where she worked until the Chinese takeover this year.
"Politics in Hong Kong was and still is a part-time affair," said Lau, who promised voters she would devote her full efforts to her position if elected.
"She is really passionate about her position on gaining rights for an elected government," said Holly O'Rourke, a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism and political science.
Lau said she is bitter about the status of government in Hong Kong. Although the Chinese promise to hold open elections next year, only a third of the positions will be elected by the public at large.
The other two-thirds will be appointed by the Chinese government and large franchises, giving the majority of the political control to the already very wealthy and very powerful, she said.
"I'm hopping mad. I'm out of a job and we have no government," said Lau, who doubts she will ever see democracy in Hong Kong during her lifetime. "But the struggle has to go on."
"What makes her such a dynamic person is that she's willing to work toward a cause even though she might not be able to see it in her lifetime," Doane said.
Lau thinks that Hong Kong's best chance of democracy lies in the hands of the United States government. She wishes America would exert more influence on China in the interest of human rights in Hong Kong, and she is currently working toward that goal.
"I think she is really stressing to students that every little bit helps in moving toward that democracy," O'Rourke said.
Lau is leading another seminar at 1 p.m. on Wednesday at the East Asian Studies Center, focusing more on the international relations aspect of Hong Kong.
She will also give a lecture Wednesday, Sept. 24, in Hancock Auditorium, concerning the democracy movement in Hong Kong.